The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq will begin production on March 21, ahead of the official opening of order banks on May 19. Speaking to reporters during a conference call, Cadillac Global Vice President Rory Harvey confirmed the information while also highlighting unexpected demand for the company's first all-electric vehicle.
What is that demand exactly? Harvey mentioned 233,000 "expressions of interest" in the forthcoming electric crossover, but that figure isn't confirmed reservations. On that front, Cadillac isn't ready to share exactly how many folks have plunked down a deposit for the Lyriq. Whether or not those interested parties actually buy a Lyriq is another question, but Harvey believes at least 10 percent will convert. Basic math tells us that's approximately 23,000 sales in the first year. We don't know how that matches up to reservations, but last year Cadillac was keen to announce Lyriq reservations were full within a matter of minutes.
Gallery: 2023 Cadillac Lyriq SUV
Can Cadillac hit this production benchmark? That's another area in which the company is a bit cagey. When pressed on the subject, a spokesperson told Motor1.com that "engineering and manufacturing teams are working very hard to increase capacity to meet this demand." The ongoing semiconductor shortage is still causing trouble for every major automaker, so some uncertainty regarding production isn't unexpected. Battery production could also be an issue, but Cadillac couldn't identify which pitfalls might have a larger effect on Lyriq production, if any.
There are some specifics we can report, however. May 19 is when the order banks open, full stop. There will be no additional reservation periods, and at that point, buyers can opt for either rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive models. Deliveries begin in the summer with RWD versions; AWD production won't start until late 2022. AWD deliveries should commence in 2023.
With a starting price of $59,990 including destination, the Lyriq promises a range of over 300 miles thanks to its 100.4 kWh Ultium battery pack. Hooked up to a DC fast charger with 200kW capability, the Lyriq can gain 200 miles of range in about 30 minutes. Power output checks in at an estimated 340 horsepower (255 kilowatts) and 325 pound-feet (440 Newton-meters) of torque for RWD models. All-wheel-drive figured haven't been released yet.
