In the automotive industry, the most important thing is timing.
Let's consider the timetable given by car manufacturers when they announce and present a new model. Basically, when do they intend to start production and on what date do they envisage the first deliveries.
This calendar is important for potential customers because it tells them when they will receive the vehicles ordered, which can allow them to plan in the meantime.
The schedule has taken on even greater importance due to the shortage of chips and the disruption to the supply chain caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the criticisms often made of Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla (TSLA), is that he never respected all the schedules given when presenting the company's vehicle models.
The last example concerns the very futuristic Cybertruck whose production date has already been postponed several times.
For Tesla's rivals, timing has become crucial if they are to hope to challenge the dominance of the manufacturer of Model S and 3 sedans and Model X and Y SUVs or if they want to offer consumers more choice.
Cadillac.com
General Motors (GM) has understood this well. The company led by Mary Barra is on schedule to launch its first anti-Tesla weapon.
Cadillac, the premium brand, will start production of the long-awaited Lyriq electric SUV around March 21, as initially planned, TheStreet just learned.
"Cadillac Lyriq production is still on track to begin later this month," Daniel Flores, a GM spokesperson told TheStreet. "We will share additional details soon.”
This is in line with the schedule given by GM in January. At the time, GM said Cadillac would begin manufacturing cars for customers at the end of the first quarter, which ends March 31. There will be no delay as we feared.
The original schedule called for the Lyriq to launch at the end of 2022, but GM accelerated things in the hope of quickly catching up with Tesla, and especially to distance Ford (F).
Deliveries of the first copies are expected by the end of June.
Introduced in 2020, this SUV/crossover is important, even central, for the tens of billions of dollars the Detroit giant has invested in its transformation into a group producing mainly electric cars in years to come.
The Lyriq, Cadillac's first 100% electric car, is supposed to launch the era of electrification of GM cars: Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC and Buick.
Pre-production has started in the Spring Hill, Tenn., factory. This site initially produced Saturn models, but GM has laid out $2 billion to enable the plant to produce the Lyriq and other electric vehicles to come under the Cadillac brand.
The Lyriq competes with Tesla Model Y and with the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
The base price is $58,795, excluding $1,195 destination charge. Model Y starting price is $54.690, while the Mustang Mach-E starts at $43,895.
The Lyriq is a large SUV integrating top-of-the-range equipment, at the height of the image of the brand. Thus, the dashboard is adorned with a giant curved screen 33 inches diagonally, which replaces the traditional dashboard and the central touch screen of the infotainment system.
Virtual Design
The audio installation is signed AKG Studio and includes no fewer than 19 speakers, some of which are placed in the headrests, all combined with active suppression of ambient noise. The passenger compartment seems to offer generous dimensions.
For its first electric vehicle, Cadillac installed a single-motor power train, developing 340 horsepower with 325 pound-feet of torque. The power is transmitted to the rear wheels. The Lyriq is based on General Motors' Ultium architecture. It will in the future be able to receive a second engine, which will give it higher power and all-wheel drive.
The range of the vehicle is pegged at more than 300 miles on a single charge thanks to a 100.4 kWh battery pack. The Lyriq will accept fast charging up to 190 kW when plugged into a DC fast charger. That's enough to recover 76 miles of range in about 10 minutes.
The Lyriq is unique in that its design was carried out by a computer. This virtual design is what enabled GM to move ahead of its original schedule. The manufacturer will also be able to realize savings of around $1.5 billion a year.
A limited number of Lyriq cars opened for reservations on Sept. 18. Cadillac, however, closed its reservation book for Lyriq Debut Edition after only a few minutes. Cadillac did not indicate the number of copies planned for this edition. It should be noted that it was possible to book against a refundable deposit of $100 dollars.
"That was fast. Every all-electric 2023#LYRIQ Debut Edition has now been reserved," the company posted on Twitter.
