Cadillac may have shocked some when it revealed its entry-level Optiq EV back in late 2023. While the brand just showed us how it looked back in November, it didn’t reveal any other details. That’s changed, as Cadillac has finally revealed more specs and features about its newest small EV, including its starting price and range. The 2025 Optiq will start at just $54,000 when it goes on sale later this year, putting it in a prime spot against other competitors in the price range, like higher trims of the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, and the Tesla Model Y.
Let’s get to the important specs first. Riding on GM’s Ultium Platform, the Optiq has an 85-kWh battery and a standard dual-motor all-wheel drive setup. That gives it 300 horsepower, 354 lb-ft of torque and most importantly, 300 estimated miles of range. Cadillac says when the battery gets low, DC fast charging can add 79 miles of range in just 10 minutes. The Optiq has other features EV drivers might appreciate like one-pedal driving and Regen on Demand. This allows drivers to slow down or stop the Optiq using just a paddle on the steering wheel.
Outside, the exterior design comes across as a better looking, techier version of the XT4. The Optiq is similar in size to the XT4, though at 190″ in overall length, it’s 10″ longer than the XT4 and just an inch taller. Cargo space is bigger as well. You can get 26 cubic feet of stuff behind the second row; with both rows folded that grows to 57 cubic feet.
The design is handsome though. There’s a fixed glass roof, black crystal grille and a unique greeting lighting. Inside, there’s all the usual tech and features you’d expect to see in an EV. There are 33 inches of screen across the dash, a suite of driver safety aids, standard 19-speaker KG Audio System with Dolby Atmos and standard SuperCruise hands-free driving tech — free for the first three years.
The Optiq will be available in Luxury and Sport trims when production starts this fall. Add in the EV tax credit, and Cadillac may have buyers lining up at dealers for these things.
