Cadillac Says the ELR Hybrid Coupe will be Priced so as to Reflect its "Exclusivity"

The 2014 Cadillac ELR that was revealed at this week's Detroit Motor Show is a stylish extended-range hybrid, 2+2 coupe based on the same Voltec platform as the Chevrolet Volt.

Of course, while quite similar (but not identical) under the skin, the two GM hybrids belong to entirely different segments. The Volt is supposed to be a higher-priced alternative to mass-market rivals such as the plug-in Toyota Prius, while the ELR is a premium product.

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Cadillac ELR Hybrid Coupe Packs 207HP, Goes on Sale in Early 2014 [Updated]

When the Cadillac Converj concept was launched at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show, the consensus was unanimous: just build it! GM heard the press’ and public’s voices and, three years later, launched the production version, named ELR, at the same venue.

Having already seen the first official images, we know that the ELR is a bit different in its proportions compared to the concept; but then that’s to be expected, as the designers have to work within certain parameters set by the engineers and, in any case, the 2+2 coupe is still quite a looker.

If its styling whet our appetites, the fact that it was based on the Chevrolet Volt platform dampened things a bit. Then doubt started to creep in: is the ELR just a Volt in a nice suit?

Cadillac says that this is definitely not the case. While the ELR does indeed utilize both the FWD platform and the Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) hybrid powertrain that were introduced in the Volt, those elements have been tuned to suit the coupe’s premium character.

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First Official Photos of Cadillac's New ELR Extended-Range Hybrid Coupe [Updated]

The countdown for the presentation of the new Cadillac ELR at the Detroit auto show (January 14 to 27) begins with a fresh set of pictures that afford us our first unobstructed view of the GM's upmarket extended range hybrid coupe.

The new images show some exterior details of the car as well as of the sharply styled interior that keeps in line with other products from Cadillac.

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GM Shows New Cadillac ELR on the Road Ahead of Detroit World Premiere

Less than a week before its scheduled world premiere at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, General Motors has shared a single picture of its new Cadillac ELR coupe covered in wraps while driving through the mountains of Southern California during development testing.

The ELR extended-range electric luxury coupe is the production version of the wreath and crest brand's Converj Concept displayed at the 2009 Detroit auto show.

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Cadillac Confirms that the ELR will be FWD, Do You Think GM Made the Right Decision?

On Tuesday, Cadillac added another piece to the puzzle that is the new ELR plug-hybrid coupe by announcing that the car will be manufactured at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant with production to start in late 2013.

We already know that the ELR will be closely based on Cadillac's 2009 Converj Concept and that it will borrow much of its extended-range electric technology from the Chevy Volt, combining a T-shaped lithium-ion battery with an electric drive unit and an unspecified four-cylinder engine working as a generator to power the electric motor.

What we assumed, but didn't know for sure, is whether the ELR would keep the same front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout as the Volt or if Cadillac would engineer a new platform with a front-engine, rear-wheel drive configuration.

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GM to Build New Cadillac ELR at Detroit-Hamtramck Plant Starting in Late 2013

The next big thing to come from Cadillac will be the ELR plug-in hybrid coupe, which is the production version of the Converj, a concept vehicle first displayed at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit that borrows its extended-range electric technology from the Chevy Volt.

In a keynote address at the SAE Convergence Conference in Detroit on Tuesday, General Motors North America President Mark Reuss revealed that preparations will soon be underway at the firm's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant to build the Cadillac ELR.

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2014 Cadillac ELR Electric Luxury Sedan to Arrive Late 2013

You may remember that last August, we broke the story that what is now called the 2014 Cadillac ELR electric coupe got the green light for production by GM's overlords. An abashed GM confirmed the story a few days later and released the name of the new model, known until then as the Converj concept car. Now, we learn via GMInsideNews that another anonymous source says the ELR will enter production roughly 18 months from now at the same Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant where the Chevrolet Volt is built. Production will begin, GMI's source says, late in the 2013 calendar year--compared to some recent GM models that have gone on sale as early as February of the preceding year. For 2014, the Cadillac ELR range-extended electric car will be sold only in the U.S. Exports to Europe and China could begin the following year. The ELR will launch some significant updates to the Voltec powertrain, though they will be used not only in the 2014 ELR but also in an updated 2014 Volt as well. Most intriguing is the notion that GM engineers will be able to extend the cars' electric range by expanding the portion of the battery pack the Initially, Chevrolet said the Volt would use only 8 kilowatt-hours of its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery By the time the car launched, that number had risen to 10.4 kWh--still leaving one-third of pack in reserve, to provide a buffer for degradation of the cells over the course of the car's life. If Voltec engineers have grown increasingly confident in the LG Chem cells' lifespan, they might be able to reprogram the control software to permit more of the pack to be accessed for power. More kilowatt-hours = more electric range. The question then becomes whether such a software change could be retrofitted into 2011-2013 Volt models. For that--not to mention any substantial details of the 2014 Cadillac ELR--we'll have to wait. Source: Green Car Reports

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Cadillac Converj / ELR - VIDEO

Cadillac Converj video:

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The Cadillac ELR could be launched as a 2014 model

Do not be surprised if GM announces at what it deems the appropriate time that the Cadillac ELR will be launched as a 2014 model year vehicle.
Since Wednesday, conjecture has been mixed with what little has so far been divulged about the extended-range Cadillac based on an unintended GM OnStar revelation – while in related news, it has been said the ELR will be made available in China.
As for the unintended revelation story, a blogger named Christopher Price reportedly checked the OnStar Web site to see whether his Pontiac G6 was due for service and whether it was compatible with OnStar’s RemoteLink smartphone technology.
On the list of compatible cars he discovered the 2014 Cadillac ELR, and thus far, this is the only possible confirmation that the extended-range Cadillac will be produced for that year.

The 2009 Converj relabeled the “ELR.”
Previous statements made last year by GM of Europe head Nick Reilly had been that no new Voltec models would be spun off before 2015. We now have reason to believe that Reilly’s assertions might have only pertained to Europe, given the 2014 ELR.
The OnStar revelation also listed a “Chevrolet SS Performance” model which could be used as a platform for a NASCAR racer, and that has the GM enthusiasts’ rumor mill also swirling.
As for the plug-in Caddy, so far it’s still being said it will share the same powertrain the Volt has – a 1.4-liter gasoline generator plus electric motor and 16-kwh lithium-ion T-shaped battery.
The 2+2 coupe is to be considerably more upscale, more aesthetically pleasing, and positioned as a global halo vehicle for GM. But the company has been silent as to whether it will boast more power – as some think it should – or whether a new generation Volt would also see more power, range or both.
Yesterday in a phone interview, Cadillac spokesman Brian Corbett said only that “production is not imminent,” and GM will make an announcement with more info on ELR specs, launch date, and more, at a time closer to production.

The ELR is based on the Converj Concept as this 2009 video shows.
In other news this week, GM has revealed – deliberately, not as a rumor – that the global halo Cadillac will indeed be sold in China, the brand’s second-largest market. GM said both the ELR and full-sized XTS gasoline-powered sedan were confirmed as due for launch, although naturally, the date for the ELR introduction remains shrouded until GM decides to let us all know.
Since debuting in China in 2005, Cadillac’s market acceptance there has steadily grown, its fortunes as a prestigious American status symbol rising also with that of what is now the world’s largest auto market – and major market for all manner of trappings necessary to feed a growing trend toward conspicuous consumption.
Don Butler, Cadillac vice president of marketing, said by the end of the decade GM expects China to account for half of all luxury purchases in the world – in all categories, not just cars. But of course it does like its cars too.
“China has quickly become the fastest-growing market for Cadillac. Last year, sales rose by 73 percent,” said GM CEO Dan Akerson. “Introducing the XTS is part of our strategy of adding one new model per year to our Cadillac lineup in China through 2016 to address the needs of luxury car buyers nationwide.
We have seen speculative reports that the ELR could be launched in China as early as 2013, but have no reason to believe this would happen until GM actually confirms that – and, again, it’s more likely the car will be produced by 2014. Corbett also would not confirm whether the U.S. would get the car first, but as that was the case with the Volt, it’s likely with the ELR.

Also awaiting confirmation is whether Cadillac will build the ELR – or Volt, for that matter – in China. Thus far it has not yet said it would build the Volt in China, but it will build Cadillac’s “new definition of luxury,” the 2013 XTS there with joint venture partner Shanghai General Motors (SGM), and is quite unequivocal about the allure of that market.
Presently there are 68 Cadillac dealers in China, and by the end of the year, GM projects this to nearly double to 120.
“Our dealers in China are experiencing strong growth, with some of them quickly becoming among the largest and best we have in the world,” said Butler.
“The average age of a Cadillac buyer in China is 35, signifying the explosive growth of the luxury marketplace and consumer perceptions of Cadillac,” GM said.
“We’re very encouraged by the positive response Chinese luxury consumers have to Cadillac,” said Butler.
“Qualities like innovation and entrepreneurship are admired by many luxury consumers in China, which aligns well with Cadillac. The American spirit of Cadillac creates a distinct and compelling position in the luxury marketplace.”
It sounds like many in the upwardly mobile, electric-vehicle friendly country would be eager to get their hands on the premier Cadillac, the ELR, and no doubt GM will make it so just as soon as it deems the appropriate time has come.
The U.S. is however still Cadillac’s number one market – at least for now – so keep your eyes open for more news as the days count down to a 2014 model-year announcement.


Source: GM-Volt.com

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