The 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V Is the Brand's First High-Performance EV
Cadillac's V-Series has delivered some of the most impressive sport sedans and high-performance station wagons ever to roam the streets of America, from the first CTS-V to the latest CT5-V Blackwing, but they've all so far been powered by gasoline. Now, Caddy is bringing the letter V to its line of EVs with the forthcoming arrival of the 2026 Lyriq-V.
Details are sparse so far, as Cadillac has only teased the performance version of the electric SUV with a YouTube video. However, nestled in the short clip, we see the presence of a V-Series button on the steering wheel — a button, perhaps, that adds an extra surge of power during hard acceleration. We've used that sort of gimmick on other EVs like the BMW i5 M60 with glee, so we expect the any such feature in a Cadillac to be similarly smile-inducing.
No powertrain specs were provided, but we suspect the Ultium-based model will at least match the 595 hp and 645 lb-ft of its Chevrolet sibling, the Blazer EV SS. (It could be more, even after all, the non-V-Series AWD Lyriq is no slouch, at 500 horsepower.) AWD is very likely, too. Brembo brakes are visible in the video, suggesting the Lyriq V will get a serious stopping power upgrade. Similarly, most V-Series models ride on the newest version of General Motors' Magnetic Ride Control, suggesting the Lyriq will benefit from that same sort of adjustable damping setup.
The teaser video shows the Lyriq-V on track, somewhere we wouldn't necessarily take a 5500-pound electric SUV. But there is precedent for a high-performance SUV from Cadillac: Just last year, Cadillac added the Escalade V to its lineup, with an ear-piercing supercharged V-8 and aggressive exterior design.
This new Lyriq will be a global market performance EV, according to Cadillac. Initial markets will include the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand; however, Cadillac says that additional markets will be announced at a later date. (Currently, Cadillac sells the Lyriq in China, too.)
The Lyriq is Cadillac's second-most-popular model, selling 20,318 units in 2023; sales are up significantly in 2024, with a 139% rise in delivery year-over-year according to third quarter results. We're guessing the arrival of the first electric V-Series model to the portfolio will only juice those sales further.
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