The First Pure Electric Car by Cadillac – Lyriq, Officially Launched at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show

The Lyriq is the latest concept car launched by Cadillac at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show. Some details may differ from the fully mass-produced vehicle, as the exhibition car showcased is still in the concept stage.

About three-electric system:

The vehicle is based on General Motors’ Ultium electric platform. The battery pack size is standardized and can hold up to 12 standard modules, which can be adjusted to different battery capacities (8, 10, or 12) and battery formulas. There are two types of battery formulas available, both using ternary lithium. One formula, 811, has not yet been announced by the supplier.

The capacity of the Lyriq’s battery is 100 kWh, making it one of the max capacity batteries in electric vehicle models currently. However, for a vehicle of this size, this is a reasonable figure. Cadillac’s internal test data shows that the vehicle has a range of up to 520 km. If this range meets the EPA or WLTP standards, it is still considered an impressive distance for the Lyriq. Nonetheless, as more and more models exceed 700+ km of range, the Lyriq’s 520 km range lacks a certain appeal.

In addition, there are three highlights about this battery pack. First, it adopts a wireless Battery Management System (BMS) design, eliminating 90% of conventional battery pack harnesses and making the structure simpler.

Secondly, it can achieve super fast charging up to 190 kW, which is equivalent to nearly 2C charging rate compared to a 100 kWh battery capacity. This data is quite impressive as it can replenish approximately 120 km of driving range in about 10 minutes.

However, currently, there are hardly any third-party charging stations in the market that can support such a high power output. Therefore, it is a challenge for Cadillac to meet this requirement. Currently, Tesla and Porsche, which support up to 250 kW super-fast charging, have adopted a self-built supercharging station model and have not made it available to the public. General Motors has not yet announced any plans to build its own supercharging stations.

Thirdly, the battery will not suffer from any permanent decay, as locking the battery power can be achieved thanks to the adoption of 811 battery chemistry.

Regarding the electric powertrain, the Ultium platform has three electric motors, including two permanent magnet synchronous motors and one AC asynchronous motor, which can achieve multiple output power combinations.

The Lyriq model, which boasts a 520 km driving range, is equipped with a 255 kW, 440 N·m electric motor.

Moreover, Lyriq’s kinetic energy recovery system can achieve a single-pedal driving mode and can also come to a complete stop by relying on energy recovery.

Regarding Intelligence

The Lyriq model features a massive 33-inch, 9k- resolution curved screen in the cabin, which is the largest and clearest screen currently installed on a production car.

According to the Cadillac staff, Lyriq uses Qualcomm’s computing platform. Based on the previously exposed information, the chip used is either Snapdragon 8155 or 8195.

Regarding autonomous driving, Lyriq adopts the second-generation Super Cruise advanced driver-assistance system, which not only enables hands-free driving on highways but also enables automatic lane changes and overtaking.

Although the Super Cruise experience is excellent, the available driving range is still relatively limited. Before the involvement of technology companies, it was inferior to the Level 2 advanced driving assistance systems of the first echelon of domestic car manufacturers. After the involvement of technology companies, the possibilities for the real world implementation of the city road-leading assistance system have been redefined in terms of mass production of cars, which may pose a threat to Lyriq.

However, another issue worth considering is how many people who buy this car actually need such a cutting-edge city-leading assistance function?### About Other Highlight Configurations

• Equipped with Cadillac’s new generation of active noise reduction
• AKG customized 19-speaker audio system
• KeyPass Comfort Entry

About Price

Currently, the starting price of this car in North America is $59,990, which is less than RMB 400,000. From this perspective, Lyriq still adopts a strategy of using high-end models with a price close to yours.

This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.