Cadillac’s Fourth EV, Debuting Next Year, Will Be Optiq SUV

• "Optiq will act as the entry point for Cadillac's EV lineup in North America, slotting in below Lyriq as a luxury compact SUV," Cadillac says.

• Although the two released photos of the vehicle were slugged "MY24," it seems doubtful production will begin before the model year ends next Sept. 30.

• The Optiq appears to be slightly larger than the new Volvo EX30 EV crossover, which carries a bargain-basement starting point in the US around $35,000. It would be surprising to see the Optiq priced that low.

General Motors had promised 30 new electric vehicles by 2025, and that's just around the corner. Considering the vehicles already on sale or expected to launch (such as the GMC Hummer and Sierra; Cadillac Lyriq, Celestiq, and Escalade; and Chevy Silverado, Equinox and Blazer) that still leaves room for a whole bunch of new vehicles.

GM CEO Mary Barra has also said recently the automaker is slowing "EV production in North America to protect our pricing (and) adjust to slower near-term growth in demand."

Despite this recent hiccup in GM's ambitious plans to electrify its vehicle portfolio, the product train is rolling, and the latest EV arrives with a Cadillac badge and most likely riding on GM's flexible Ultium battery architecture.

It will be what appears to be a small-ish two-row crossover named Optiq, carrying on the "IQ" nomenclature already used for the Lyriq and Celestiq. There's little information about this vehicle, but Cadillac picked this morning to release two photos and these sentences:

"Optiq will act as the entry point for Cadillac's EV lineup in North America, slotting in below Lyriq as a luxury compact SUV. Optiq's spirited driving dynamics are designed to appeal to global luxury customers. Additional details, features and pricing will be unveiled next year."

So that's all we get for now, but the painfully slow launch of the Lyriq (as well as the latest EV production delays) do not bode well for a quick arrival and market rollout for the Optiq. And although the photos were slugged "MY24," it seems doubtful production will begin before the model year ends next Sept. 30.

EV market observers may have been counting on seeing Buick's first EV in the US—expected to be the Electra crossover—well before Cadillac would get its fourth. But recent reports suggest the 2025 Buick Electra EV will debut in the US in 2024, even though Buick's media website in the US has no mention or photos of the Electra.

Although it will take time for the dust to settle from GM's contentious contract negotiations with the United Auto Workers, the build location for the Optiq must certainly be part of the long-term resolution of those talks.

GM could build the Optiq in Spring Hill, Tennessee, (alongside its Lyriq platform mate), or Fairfax, Kansas, among other facilities.

The Optiq appears to be slightly larger than the new Volvo EX30 EV crossover, which carries a bargain-basement starting point in the US around $35,000, falling in line with pricing for the Chevy Equinox EV. It would be surprising to see the Optiq priced that low.

Are you interested in the Cadillac Optiq EV, which will likely be priced below the current Lyriq? Please comment below.