Payne: 5 cool things about the electric Escalade IQ

Posted by Talbot Payne on August 11, 2023

Warren — The all-electric Cadillac IQ is here. It’s large, it’s sleek, just don’t call it the “Ick.”

Escalade has always been a sub-brand in the Caddy lineup, an outsized, truck-sized, halo SUV with a personality all its own. The darling of celebrities when it debuted in 1999, it has survived two Cadillac alphanumeric naming convention changes (the CTS/SRX era from 2000-2019 and the CT5/XT5 era from 2020-present). For its all-electric-by-2030 era, Cadillac is returning to proper name badges — though all must end in “-iq” (pronounced “ick” as in Lyriq and Celestiq). Thus, the Escalade IQ.

IQ expands Cadillac’s mega-SUV’s lineup beyond the standard, gas-powered Escalade and its 700-horsepower, supercharged, V8-stuffed, performance Escalade-V model.

But IQ is a different animal entirely, sharing little with its Escalade siblings. The E-scalade sits — not on GM’s ladder-frame truck architecture — but on the same Ultium battery platform that undergirds the Lyriq, Celestiq, Hummer EV, Chevy Equinox EV, Blazer EV and all other future GM electric models.

Here are five things of note about the 2025 Escalade IQ:

1) 450-mile range. While the 800-volt, 200-plus kWh battery pack in the IQ is the same size as the one in the GMC Hummer SUV EV, Cadillac estimates IQ will go a whopping 136 miles (that’s 43%) further than its GMC cousin. Credit the IQ’s slipperier design (look at that raked windshield) compared to the brick-shaped Hummer. While Caddy hasn’t detailed a drag-coefficient number yet, expect it to be significantly less than the GMC’s 0.5 Cd (a Tesla Model S is a slippery 0.21 Cd).

The Cadillac Escalade IQ comes with a curved pillar-to-pillar 55-inch-total-diagonal LED display powered by a next generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platform from Qualcomm Technologies Inc.The Cadillac Escalade IQ comes with a curved pillar-to-pillar 55-inch-total-diagonal LED display powered by a next generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platform from Qualcomm Technologies Inc.

2) 55-inch display. This is what you’ve been waiting for: Escalade’s first pillar-to-pillar screen. Chinese-brand Byton promised it would bring a similar 48-inch design to market in 2019 on its M-Byte model — but we haven’t heard from Byton since. The IQ’s Snapdragon Qualcomm jumbotron (similar to the Celestiq sedan) dwarfs the gas Escalade’s 38-inch unit and will contain three displays in all — an instrument display, console infotainment display, and passenger display. Oh, yes, and there is another 11-inch Command Center screen below it to control climate.

3) Auto gizmos galore. To afford the IQ requires a career of hard work and $130k in the bank, so the vehicle is determined make its owners do as little work as possible behind the wheel. Approach the Caddy with key fob in pocket, and the driver’s door will open automatically. Now that’s good manners. Slide into the driver’s seat, press the brake pedal, and the door will automatically swing shut behind you. Want to exit? Push a button in the Command Center screen and the door opens automatically. Indeed, you can program the other doors to open by themselves to let your passengers out too. Once on the interstate, IQ will go into SuperCruise mode so you can drive hands-free. It’ll even change lanes automatically for you.

4) 40, 24, 5.0, 126. IQ loves numbers. Opt for the audio package, and you’ll get a whopping 40 speakers for the AKG stereo system — including two in the headrests for each ear. The 24-inch rims are a first for the Escalade, though they don’t look out of proportion on this huge canvas. Stick IQ in Velocity Max mode (Hummer calls it Watts to Freedom) and its 780-pound feet of torque will vault it to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds. The E-scalade has a dizzying 126 different interior LED color combinations so you can light up the interior like a Christmas tree.

5) e-Bling. The IQ’s design is simple and sleek to achieve the aforementioned low drag co-efficient necessary for extended range. But that doesn’t mean it’s not loaded with bling in the Escalade tradition. Walk up to it and a white LED show will dance across the front end like the Fox Theatre entrance. Behind the grille is — not an engine — but a huge frunk (front truck) that can store, for example, two golf bags. Crowning every Escalade IQ is a roof-length, panoramic, tinted glass roof so you can stargaze at night.

The earth-shaking, 682-horse, supercharged V-8 Escalade-V may beat the Escalade IQ to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. But you’ll never hear the 750-horse IQ coming.

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.

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