The Cadillac Escalade is an icon of the luxury SUV market, making up almost a third of premium full-size SUV sales in the United States. As General Motors continues its push towards an all-electric future, the range-topping full-sizer is next up for the Ultium treatment. Slated to arrive next fall, the all-new 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ was unveiled Wednesday and it brings new design language, up to 750 horsepower, and an estimated 450 miles of range to the fight against BMW, Mercedes, and Range Rover.
Power, Battery, and Charging
Like all of General Motors' upcoming electric vehicle projects, the Escalade EV is based on the automaker’s Ultium platform. At the heart of every Escalade IQ will sit a 24-module battery pack measuring in at over 200 kWh. While GM has yet to confirm whether it's the same pack, the GMC Hummer EV utilizes a 24-module Ultium battery with 212 kWh of usable capacity. We also know that the battery itself will make up part of the SUV’s structure, allowing for lower floors and more interior volume.
The battery sends power to two electric motors, with one located at each axle. The two permanent magnet drive units work together to provide all-time all-wheel drive while doling out up to 680 hp and 615 lb-ft of torque in regular driving. Activate the truck’s Max Velocity drive mode and those figures jump up to 750 hp and 785 lb-ft of torque. Unlike the Hummer’s Watts to Freedom mode, the Escalade IQ’s Max Velocity mode can be used at all times if you so choose. Cadillac says the SUV should be able to hit 60 mph in less than five seconds, while also providing an estimated range of 450 miles per charge.
The Escalade IQ is supported by a high-voltage electronics architecture that allows for up to 800-volt DC fast charging. This means you can add up to 100 miles of range to the battery pack in as little as 10 minutes of charge time. A standard Level 1 charger should provide up to 14.8 miles per hour, whereas a Level 2 charger can provide up to 37 miles in an hour, according to Cadillac. The SUV will also support bidirectional charging capabilities, allowing customers to power their homes if it is properly equipped. This feature will be added to the Escalade IQ by way of an over-the-air update for the 2025 model year. Despite GM’s announcement related to the NACS charge point, the Escalade IQ will retain the J1772 port.
Suspension and Wheels
While the performance on offer from the electric powertrain is a draw, customers don’t come to the Escalade for break-neck acceleration. In order to ensure this Escalade provides the finest passenger experience yet, the car comes as standard with four-wheel independent suspension with Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 and Adaptive Air Ride. The air setup allows the SUV to raise by an inch, or lower by up to two inches in Low Ride mode. Taking full advantage of the cushy suspension setup, Cadillac has fitted every Escalade IQ with 24-inch wheels wrapped in 35-inch tires. While not meant for off-roading, those rollers help give the Escalade IQ 6.9 inches of ground clearance.
Yes, It Has Crab Walk
The truck also gets some other party tricks borrowed from GMC, including four-wheel steering with Cadillac Arrival Mode. The latter is a special variant of four-wheel steering used to navigate tight parking lots, which functions a lot like the Hummer’s Crab Walk. The system at large also helps chop over 6.5 feet off of the truck’s turning radius, now down to 39.4 feet. It’s also a helpful tool when pulling a trailer, which many Escalade IQ buyers might do thanks to its maximum towing capacity of 8000 pounds. That’s not quite on par with the most capable variants of the F-150 Lightning, but it is right in line with the gas-powered Escalade lineup.
Dimensions and Design
Without T1 platform underpinnings in place to restrict the Escalade IQ, GM gave Cadillac the freedom to do a clean-sheet redesign. The IQ is actually about two inches shorter than a long-wheelbase Escalade, measuring at 224.3-inches. That said, the proportions are very different, as the electric truck’s 136.2-inch wheelbase is more than two inches longer. While many of the brand’s signature elements are still at play, the IQ is a much more athletic-looking machine than its gasoline-guzzling sibling.
The roofline is the first major adjustment to catch your eye, now swept back like something you’d see out of southern Coventry. Those giant wheels and tires almost look diminutive next to the toned bodywork, though the aero-focused design is handsome. Aerodynamics are always a major focus of EV design, and the Escalade IQ is no different. All of that sculpture on the flanks looks nice, but it also ensures this truck has a coefficient of drag 15 percent lower than its predecessors. Overall, the truck immediately reads like an Escalade in all of the ways you’d expect. The rear end is easily the least successful part of the design, particularly where the brand’s vertical tail light motifs are concerned. There is a black roof option available for customers, but it doesn’t really solve the business out back.
Interior and Tech
Things are more consistent inside the Escalade IQ, which borrows a bit from the $340,000 Celestiq. Every Escalade IQ will come equipped with the brand’s new 55-inch pillar-to-pillar screen setup. The Escalade is a bit bigger than the sedan though, requiring some additional speaker grilles on the ends to fill out the dash. There’s also a central-mounted touch screen, which sits canted back to give the feeling of a roomier cabin. The screens are backed by a Google Built-In infotainment system, as well as the full suite of GM active safety features. Every model will also come equipped with Super Cruise ADAS functionality as standard. Rear passengers can also experience the tech bonanza by way of a 12.6-inch-diagonal mounted to the rear of each front seat.
Interior textures are styled after the IQ’s grille design, and do a good job tying the two elements together. Third-row seating does look slightly compromised this time around, with the entire seat placed behind that rear window. Headroom in the third row has also dropped by an entire inch, likely owing to the new shapely room design. The Escalade IQ will also serve as the debut for the brand’s new switchgear, which is handsome as well. We weren’t allowed to touch them for ourselves, so no word on how tactile they are.
Other interior highlights include a large panoramic glass roof, which almost extends all the way back to the third row. The electric Escalade will also feature a 19-speaker stereo system by AKG, with an optional 40-speaker system available as well. Storage capacity sits at 23.7 cubic feet behind the third row, but comes bolstered by an additional 12.2 cubic feet of frunk capacity.
Trims and Pricing
When the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ enters production next summer, customers will have two trim levels to choose from. The Sport model arrives with dark-colored trim accents and wheels, whereas the Luxury wears bright chrome instead. Cadillac hasn’t shared any differentiators between the trims beyond that. Pricing for the Escalade IQ lineup will start at around $130,000.
The current Escalade is an expensive offering, but that price brings the segment start into a whole different realm. Whether or not the Escalade remains the star in GM’s SUV lineup will be decided by how many trucks the company's able to transact at that price.
Born and raised in Metro Detroit, associate editor Lucas Bell has spent his entire life surrounded by the automotive industry. He may daily drive an aging Mustang, but his Porsche 944 and NB Miata both take up most of his free time.
