Cadillac Files Regulatory Filing for New Electric SUV ‘Optiq’ in China

“Cadillac Files Regulatory Filing for New Electric SUV ‘Optiq’ in China’s Competitive Market”

Cadillac, the luxury brand of General Motors, has submitted a regulatory filing for a new electric SUV called the Optiq in China, aiming to offer a fresh choice amidst intensifying competition in the market.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has included the Cadillac Optiq in its latest catalog of models open for public comment, which will run from July 14 to July 20. This catalog entry represents the final major regulatory step before a model can be approved for sale in China.

The Optiq comes in two versions, both featuring single-motor configurations. It is smaller in size compared to Cadillac’s current EV offering in China, the Lyriq, and is expected to compete at lower price points.

The Optiq’s dimensions include a length of 4,822 mm, width of 1,912 mm, height ranging from 1,642 mm to 1,644 mm, and a wheelbase of 2,954 mm. By comparison, the Nio ES6 measures 4,854 mm in length, 1,995 mm in width, 1,703 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,915 mm.

The two versions of the Cadillac Optiq feature motors with maximum power outputs of 150 kW and 180 kW respectively. The battery packs are supplied by a joint venture between SAIC and CATL. Production of the Optiq will take place at SAIC’s plant in Wuhan, Hubei province, in central China.

Currently, Cadillac’s only all-electric model available for sale in China is the Lyriq, which is based on GM’s Ultium EV platform. Reservations for the Lyriq began in June 2022.

In terms of size, the Lyriq is larger than the Optiq, measuring 5,003 mm in length, 1,978 mm in width, 1,635 mm in height, and having a wheelbase of 3,094 mm.

Cadillac recently announced that it has made an entitlement package optional for the Lyriq, resulting in a reduction of starting prices for all models by RMB 60,000 ($8,400). Consequently, the three versions of the Lyriq will now start at RMB 379,700, RMB 399,700, and RMB 419,700 respectively.

This pricing adjustment is reminiscent of a move made by Nio last month when the Chinese EV manufacturer made its free battery swap entitlement optional, leading to a decrease in the starting prices of its entire lineup by RMB 30,000.

(Note: $1 = RMB 7.1385)