The first photos and details of Cadillac’s upcoming compact electric crossover have surfaced on the website of the China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
The vehicle, which is called the Cadillac Optiq, is one of three electric Cadillac’s debuting this year and due to start sales in 2024.
The others include the full-size Escalade IQ scheduled for an Aug. 9 debut, and a mid-size SUV with three rows that may be called an Ascendiq, Symboliq, or Vistiq, based on recent trademark activity.
Details on the Optiq sourced from Chinese government documents have been republished on Autohome (via Drive) and point to the Optiq weighing approximately 4,894 pounds and measuring close to 190 inches in length. That’s the same length as the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV, which likely shares much in common with the Optiq.
2025 Cadillac Optiq – Photo credit: Autohome
One aspect shared between the two vehicles is the version of General Motors’ Ultium EV platform and battery set designed for compact crossovers.
No details on the battery or range were published but a powertrain consisting of a single electric motor at the rear axle was mentioned. It will be available with outputs of 201 or 241 hp, at least for the Chinese market.
Camouflaged prototypes of the Optiq spotted in the wild suggest the vehicle will resemble a scaled-down Lyriq, albeit with a slightly more upright tailgate. The leaked photos show a more rounded front section and a smaller take on Cadillac’s LED-embedded grille used for EVs.
The Optiq is crucial to Cadillac’s global expansion plans as its smaller size is better suited to markets outside of North America. In addition to Europe, Australia is thought to be in Cadillac’s cross hairs as some of its EV model names, Optiq included, have been trademarked specifically for that market.
