NEW YORK – Twenty-five years after the Cadillac Escalade launched General Motors into large, highly profitable luxury SUVs, the Detroit automaker is hoping a new all-electric version of the vehicle will ignite the same success for a new generation of luxury buyers. Today, the leading car company moved closer to its dream with the unveiling of its first-ever-all-electric full-size reimagined 2025 ESCALADE IQ. 

    The great reveal was made on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, in a downtown GM showroom which was the perfect setting. The showroom had wall-to-wall windows providing unobstructed views of New York’s famous skyline and for the new car. Following a lovely networking reception where the conversation was about the reveal and the anticipation was palpable, guests gathered in a capacious room with a stage that had a cloth covering the car. Then GM’s President Mark Reuss greeted the audience and teased about the upcoming reveal of GM’s smartest car to date.  “The importance of Cadillac to our global portfolio can’t be overstated,” stated President Reuss. “You are witnessing the rise of Cadillac.”

    Without further pause, John Roth, vice president, Global Cadillac, removed the cover for the reveal to a frenzy of photographers and cell phone cameras. The first-ever all-electric full-size SUV from Cadillac redefines the luxury SUV experience with a Cadillac-estimated 450 miles of range, Super Cruise driver assistance technology, bidirectional charging capability, reimagined interior, and exterior designs, and zero tailpipe emissions. “For more than 120 years, Cadillac’s bold innovative spirit has defined American luxury, The ESCALADE IQ embodies this spirit in the most sophisticated form,” said Roth. “ESCALADE IQ raises the standard just as the original Escalade redefined luxury a quarter-century ago. This reimagining of an icon marks the next step in Cadillac’s all-electric future.”

    Mandi Damman, the chief engineer of the all-new 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ spoke unabashedly about the newest star car in the roster. “Escalade has always been about being bold, so that’s what we set out to accomplish,” said Damman. “ESCALADE IQ is what you get when you follow your soul instead of the crowd.”

    The design of ESCALADE IQ captures the bold presence of its predecessors, but its dedicated EV architecture provided the design team with a blank-slate approach to its styling. The result is a reimagined yet familiar Escalade — one that makes a statement without compromises. The electric architecture enables a sleeker profile, but one with a silhouette that remains instantly recognizable as an Escalade. It also enables a lower, flatter interior floor that contributes to ESCALADE IQ’s exceptional spaciousness.

    “ESCALADE IQ is first and foremost a Cadillac and delivers on a promise of innovative design supported by spirited performance and cutting-edge technologies,” said Jamie Brewer, executive chief engineer, ESCALADE IQ. “The EV-specific architecture allows us to deliver a driving experience aligned with Cadillac’s philosophy of isolated precision — quiet, smooth and effortless with a strong connection to the road for an engaging experience.”

    ESCALADE IQ will be equipped with Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) bidirectional charging technology with GM Energy’s available Ultium Home products, providing customers with the ability to send power directly from the vehicle to a properly equipped home. This capability will be enabled via an over-the-air software update for the 2025 model year. ESCALADE IQ will also offer the option of Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) offboard power, allowing the vehicle to power external devices. The ESCALADE IQ uses its Ultium battery pack as part of its fundamental body structure. This allows the battery pack to provide the vehicle’s impressive Cadillac-estimated 450 miles of range1 while also protecting the battery in the event of a crash and adding overall strength and rigidity to the vehicle. The powerful electric propulsion configuration — consisting of the battery pack, power electronics and a two-motor eAWD system — offers great power on demand and surprising performance, including:

    “Our intent for the ESCALADE IQ was to amplify the Escalade DNA with a distinctively premium profile and heroic stance, while complementing the Cadillac EV showroom. With the pillar-to-pillar 55-inch-total-diagonal screen, and available executive second row seating, the ESCALADE IQ is another proud expression of Cadillac’s artful integration of leading innovation,” said Bryan Nesbitt, executive director, Global Cadillac Design. ESCALADE IQ’s new design pushed the wheels farther to the corners, for a more powerful-looking and planted stance. The proportions speak to its presence and scale. Starting with a long, dynamic hood and ending with a faster-sloping roofline at the rear, all of which contributes to a sportier aesthetic.

    The vehicle is expected to arrive in dealer showrooms late next summer, starting at around $130,000. That’s a premium compared with its traditional counterparts that have on average been selling for about $115,500 this year (but still lower than a limited-edition performance model of the vehicle that went on sale last year that around $150K. (Photos by Todd Plitt for Cadillac)