2014 Cadillac ELR wears a suave suit with Volt underpants

Tue, 15 Jan 2013

The Cadillac design and engineering teams were smiling like a bunch of proud papas here in Detroit this morning, as the Wreath and Crest crew pulled the curtain back on their 2014 ELR. The house was packed for the ELR's coming out party, and reaction was enthusiastic amongst the murmuring media, as far as we could gather, while the flashes were firing.

In fact, we think that the sleek styling and aggressive proportions of the Voltec-powered ELR looked even better in the metal than they did in the first official images we saw earlier. Further, the leather-lined interior seems custom made for serious driving, even if the ELR is slightly less than rocket-ship quick.

The new Cadillac makes good use of the basic running gear from the Chevrolet Volt, including the 1.4-liter range-extending gas engine, a 15.6-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and an electric drive motor that offers 295 pound-feet of torque, and a total system output of 207 horsepower. All-electric range is down by just one mile versus its Chevrolet forebearer, for a total of 35, and Cadillac speculates that the total range with the gasoline generator figured in will top 300 miles.

Have a look at our gallery of live images, or refresh your memory about the details of the car with the press release, below.

Cadillac ELR Electrifies the Luxury Market

Luxury coupe blends dramatic design, industry-leading extended range technology

DETROIT – Cadillac unveils the 2014 ELR today at the North American International Auto Show. The sleek luxury coupe features the first application of Extended Range Electric Vehicle technology by a full-line luxury automotive brand.

"ELR is an unprecedented combination of luxury, advanced engineering and progressive design in a coupe that is both sporty and environmentally friendly," said Bob Ferguson, Cadillac global vice president. "This is a pivotal moment in Cadillac's history, as we continue our product-driven expansion."

The ELR delivers on the promise of the Converj Concept on which it is based. The exterior establishes a new, progressive proportion for the brand while the interior introduces a new design theme that will define future Cadillac models, emphasizing modern elegance, technology and precisely crafted details.

Industry-leading Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) technology provides full driving range exceeding 300 miles (480 km), combining pure electric driving and an efficient, range-extending generator.

"ELR marks a fresh, even surprising new dimension of Cadillac," Ferguson said. "An additional aspect of ELR's appeal to will be exclusivity. It will be a specialized offering produced in limited numbers."

ELR's confident and responsive EREV driving technology is enhanced with exclusive Regen on Demand and selectable drive modes that enhance driving and make the most of efficiency. Regen on Demand allows the driver to temporarily regenerate energy from the ELR's momentum into electricity that can be stored in the battery pack for later use. It is engaged via steering-wheel paddles adapted from traditional performance cars.

The industry-leading, proven EREV technology is uniquely tuned for Cadillac in the ELR. Most daily commutes will require zero gasoline with zero emissions. Longer trips are free from electric-vehicle range anxiety because EREV technology enables the same long-distance freedom as a conventional car.

Additional vehicle highlights include:

• Enhanced AT-PZEV emissions meet California's criteria for single-occupancy access to high occupancy vehicle lanes
• Light-emitting diode (LED) headlamps, daytime running lamps and taillamps, as well as signature front and rear lighting elements
• Twenty-inch wheels paired with tires designed to balance responsive handling and a comfortable ride with efficiency
• Interior design featuring cut-and-sew accented leather incorporating sueded microfiber, chrome, wood and available carbon fiber finishes throughout
• Cadillac CUE with Navigation is standard. CUE is Cadillac's breakthrough system for connectivity and control, using Natural Voice Recognition, capacitive touch and hand gestures used on smart phones and tablets
• Programmable charging schedules and downloadable energy efficiency reports available online and through smartphone notification charging alerts
• Cadillac's advanced active safety features, including Safety Alert Seat, Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning, along with available Side Blind Zone Alert with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and full-speed-range adaptive cruise control
• Advanced chassis and suspension systems, including HiPer Strut front suspension, compound-crank with Watts link rear suspension and Continuous Damping Control, which adjusts damping every two milliseconds for optimal ride and handling in all conditions
• Standard premium Bose 10-channel audio system with active noise cancellation.

ELR production begins in the United States in late 2013 with sales starting in early 2014 in North America and expanding to global markets including China and Europe.

Design
The Cadillac ELR has an aggressive, forward-leaning profile that introduces a new, progressive theme and proportion in Cadillac's design evolution. It carries over almost unchanged from the 2009 Converj concept that inspired it. The overall shape is reinforced by a prominent, sweeping body line accented by 20-inch wheels pushed to the edges of the body.

"The ELR represents a new dimension of Art & Science, the guiding philosophy of Cadillac," said Mark Adams, Cadillac design director. "Cadillac's DNA is innovation, with dramatic and provocative design. ELR delivers this in a luxury coupe that stands alone among major luxury brands globally."

Vertical headlamp and taillamp elements create Cadillac's signature for the ELR, day or night and from the front or rear – a brand tradition since 1948.

Aerodynamics play a crucial role in the design as airflow is managed to help the vehicle slip through the air with minimal drag. A flush front fascia and grille – with active shutters behind the grille opening – as well as tapered fascia corners, enable air to move easily around the car to reduce drag. In the rear, sharp edges and a carefully designed spoiler also manage airflow. An aggressive rake on the windshield and back glass help reduce turbulence and drag and contribute to ELR's 0.305 coefficient of drag.

Inside, the ELR's classic 2+2 layout is driver focused, emphasizing modern luxury, connectivity and precisely crafted details. The leather-trimmed interior blends authentic chrome and wood accents – and available carbon fiber trim – as well as a sueded microfiber headliner and steering wheel covered in leather and sueded microfiber. Additional features include:
• Eight-inch configurable instrument and driver information displays, offering four configurations ranging from elegantly simple to technologically enhanced information
• Auto-glide/power-assisted covered storage/cup holder in the center console
• Fold-down rear seat backs accommodate longer items, including multiple sets of golf clubs
• LED-powered accent lighting in the instrument panel and doors
• Available Opus semi-aniline leather seating.

Cadillac CUE with Navigation is standard and accessible through a large, eight-inch, full-color capacitive-touch screen in the center of the instrument panel. It supports the electrified driving experience with displays on driving efficiency, energy usage, charging options and more, in addition to a broad range of infotainment options.

Using Cadillac CUE via the touch screen features gesture recognition, proximity sensing (revealing information when needed) and a three-core microprocessor for faster response. Some features are accessible via steering-wheel controls and the motorized screen pivots up to reveal a hidden storage compartment with a USB port for phones and other personal items.

Driving Experience
The Cadillac ELR's dramatic design is matched with an engaging driving experience, supported by the EREV propulsion system calibrated for uncompromising performance. With 295 lb.-ft. of torque (400 Nm) – about 12 percent more than the 3.6L V-6 in the SRX – acceleration in the city and on the highway, including merging and passing, is achieved with reassuring power on demand.

Driving confidence is further enhanced by advanced suspension and damping systems, including Continuous Damping Control – which adjusts damping every two milliseconds – to maintain optimal vehicle ride control over varying road surfaces and profiles. The ELR rolls on 20-inch wheels with specially engineered low-rolling-resistance tires designed to balance excellent control and cornering capability with efficiency.

A solid, stable foundation underpins the ELR, featuring a body-frame-integral structure with main underbody rails running continuously from front to rear. Advanced, high-strength steels add strength and conserve weight. Additional contributors to the ELR's driving experience include:
• Wide front and rear tracks – 62.1 inches (1,578 mm) in front and 62.4 inches (1,585 mm) in the rear – along with a long wheelbase (106.1 inches / 2,695 mm) and a low center of gravity
• HiPer Strut front suspension featuring lightweight forged aluminum components for reduced weight and more nimble, responsive action
• Dual-pinion, rack-mounted electric power steering system with premium ZF steering gear designed to provide excellent feedback while helping to save fuel
• A semi-independent rear compound-crank suspension with Watts link that incorporates weight-optimized trailing arms to absorb lateral forces, allowing the suspension to be tuned to handle vertical, forward and rearward motions
• Hydraulic ride bushings in the front and rear suspensions
• An electro-hydraulic regenerative brake system that captures energy and sends it to the battery pack
• Standard chassis control systems include antilock brakes, traction control and StabiliTrak electronic stability control.

Because the ELR operates so quietly in all-electric mode, a driver-activated feature sounds a noise to alert pedestrians, particularly those with visual impairments, in an intersection. The alert was developed in conjunction with the American Federation of the Blind.

Propulsion and Charging Technology
The ELR is powered by GM EREV technology, combining pure electric drive and an efficient, range-extending 1.4L gasoline-powered electric generator capable of 154 kW (207 hp) of total system power.

The ELR's battery is a T-shaped, 16.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, located along the centerline of the vehicle, between the front and rear wheels for optimal weight distribution. The 5.5-foot-long (1.6 m), 435-pound (198 kg) pack supplies energy to an advanced electric drive unit capable of 295 lb.-ft. of instant torque (400 Nm) to propel the vehicle. Using only the energy stored in the battery, the ELR will deliver a GM-estimated range of about 35 miles (56 km) of pure electric driving, depending on terrain, driving techniques and temperature.

A driver-selectable Hold mode directs when the ELR uses its electric generator. This feature helps optimize the electric-driving experience, allowing owners who mix city and highway driving to save the battery charge for city travel, where the ELR EV mode operates most efficiently.

Charging the ELR's battery can be done with a 120V electrical outlet or a dedicated 240V charging station. The vehicle can be completely recharged in about 4.5 hours using a 240V outlet, depending on the outside temperature.
Once the vehicle is plugged in, owners can schedule either immediate or delayed charges, even coordinating charging according to departure time or when electricity rates are lower. Owners also can manage and monitor the ELR online or with their smartphone and RemoteLink, a mobile app powered by OnStar.

The ELR's battery is covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty.

Manufacturing
The Cadillac ELR will be manufactured at General Motors' Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant, the world's only automotive manufacturing facility that mass-produces extended-range electric vehicles for global markets in 21 countries. It is also home to Southeast Michigan's largest photovoltaic solar array. The 264,000-square-foot feature generates up to 516 kilowatts of electricity – enough to charge 150 ELRs per day.

Model:	2014 Cadillac ELR
Body style / driveline:	front-wheel-drive, two-door coupe extended-range electric vehicle
Construction:	single body-frame-integral (unibody) with front and rear crumple zones; galvanized steel front fenders; roof, door panels; aluminum hood; one-piece bodyside outer panel; thermal plastic olefin (TPO) bumper fascias
EPA vehicle class:	compact car
Manufacturing location:	Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly, Hamtramck, Mich.
Battery manufacturing location:	Brownstown Township , Mich.

Type:	rechargeable energy storage system comprising multiple linked modules
Size/case:	5.5-foot-long T-shaped; glass-filled polyester structural composite with aluminum thermal radiation shield and steel tray
Mass (lb / kg):	435 / 198
Battery chemistry:	lithium-ion
Thermal system:	liquid active thermal control
Cells:	288 prismatic
Combined electric/extended driving range (miles / km):	More than300 / 480
Warranty:	eight years / 100,000 miles
Energy:	16.5-kWh

Type:	1.4L DOHC I-4
Displacement (cu in / cc):	85.3 / 1398
Bore & stroke (in / mm):	2.89 x 3.25 / 73.4 x 82.6
Block material:	cast iron
Cylinder head material:	cast aluminum
Valvetrain:	overhead camshafts; four valves per cylinder, continuously variable intake and exhaust cam phaser
Ignition system:	Individual coil-on-plug – cassette type
Fuel delivery:	sequential multi-port fuel injectors with electronic throttle control
Compression ratio:	10.5:1
Output (kW / hp @ rpm):	63 / 84 @ 4800
Max engine speed (rpm):	4800
Emissions controls:	close-coupled catalytic converters; 58x ignition system; returnless fuel rail; fast light-off O2 sensor
Fuel type:	premium required
EPA-estimated fuel economy:	TBD

Type:	electric, two-wheel, front-drive
Motors (two);	drive motor, 117-135 kW; generator motor, 55 kW
Transaxle:	Voltec electric drive system
Power (kW / hp):	154 / 207 (total system power)
Torque: (lb-ft / Nm):	295 / 400

120 V (travel charger):	about 12hours (actual charge times may vary)
240 V (charging station):	about 4.5 hours (actual charge times may vary)

0-60 mph:	TBA
Top speed (mph):	100
EV range (combined city/hwy):	about 35 miles (56 km)
EV / Extended range:	More than 300 miles / 480 km, including EV on fully charged battery and full tank of fuel (est.)

Front:	HiPer Strut with continuously variable real-time damping and driver-selectable modes, specially tuned coil springs with side load compensation, direct-acting hollow stabilizer bar, hydraulic ride bushings
Rear:	specially adapted compound crank (torsion beam) with Watts link; double-walled, U-shaped profile at the rear; specifically tuned coil springs, hydraulic bushings; shocks with continuously variable real-time damping and driver-selectable modes
Chassis control:	four-channel ABS; all-speed traction control; StabiliTrak; drag control
Steering type:	rack-mounted electric power steering with ZF steering gear
Steering wheel turns, lock-to-lock:	2.5
Turning circle, curb-to-curb (ft / m):	38.4 / 11.7
Steering ratio:	15.36

Type:	power four-wheel vented disc with ABS; electro-hydraulic; fully regenerative to maximize energy capture; dynamic rear brake proportioning
Brake rotor diameter front (in / mm):	12.6 / 321; vented, single 60mm front / rear piston w/ steel body caliper
Brake rotor diameter rear (in / mm):	12 / 292; solid; steel body caliper with single 38mm piston
Total swept area (cu cm):	front: 523 rear: 325

Wheel size and type:	20 x 8.5-inch cast aluminum
Tires:	245/40R20 all-season

Wheelbase (in / mm):	106.1 / 2695
Overall length (in / mm):	186 / 4724
Overall width (in / mm):	72.7 / 1847
Track width front (in / mm):	62.1 / 1578
Track width rear (in / mm):	62.4 / 1585
Height (in / mm):	55.9 / 1420

Seating capacity (front / rear):	2 / 2
Headroom (in / mm):	front: 36.9 / 938 rear: 34.7 / 882
Shoulder room (in / mm):	front: 55.2 / 1403 rear: 49.9 / 1268
Hip room (in / mm):	front: 52.9 / 1344 rear: 48.6 / 1234
Legroom (in / mm):	front: 42.2 / 1071 rear: 33.6 / 853
Cargo volume (cu ft / L):	9 / 255 (est.)

Curb weight (lb / kg);	4070 / 1846
Generator cooling (qt / L):	7.7 / 7.3
Battery pack cooling (qt / L):	6.2 / 5.8
Power electronics cooling (qt / L):	3 / 2.8
Fuel tank (gal / L):	9.3 / 35.2
Engine oil w/ filter (qt / L):	3.7 / 3.5
Drive unit fluid (qt / L):	8.93 / 8.45

By Seyth Miersma