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Cadillac president de Nysschen says electrification coming 'across the spectrum'

We like to pick on new Cadillac president Johan de Nysschen for his insistence, many years ago, when he was president of Audi of America, that plug-in vehicles are for idiots. Listening to him give the keynote address at the Washington Auto Show today, you wouldn't know he ever said anything negative about an electric vehicle. Instead, he sounds something like a EV-angelist. De Nysschen said that Cadillac will be able to benefit from GM's considerable expertise in plug-in technology, which he said would be "applied across the spectrum of our portfolio." GM's electric committment will help in "making electrification commonplace." With the plug-in ELR already on the road, de Nysschen said that the company's next step in advancing powertrains will be the introduction of stop/start technology – which de Nysschen called an "important system to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions" – into a Cadillac for the first time later this year. Without giving any specific details, de Nysschen said that Cadillac will introduce eight new models (not necessarily plug-ins) by the end of this decade, including five that "will take Cadillac into market segments where the brand is not even present today." These new vehicles will likely be much lighter than today's vehicles, de Nysschen said, because "weight reduction today is critical to automotive design, it helps to improve fuel efficiency and contributes to desireable vehicle dynamics." The key is to reduce weight without compromising safety or comfort and to use the right material – steel, aluminum, carbon fiber – in the right place at the right time. It was a not-so-subtle jab at Ford and its new aluminum F-150. "In the pursuit of weight reduction, some manufacturers have also opted for abandoning steel and have gone for an all-aluminum approach," he said. "At Cadillac, we believe that different materials each present particular advantages in specific applications. There is no single material that represents the optimum balance of the conflicting objectives of every single application." Related video:

Why GM will import the Cadillac CT6 PHEV from China

There's a clear-cut reason that General Motors is going to build its upcoming plug-in hybrid CT6 sedan in China. Sure, the car will be sold in China and the US, but the real reason for the "Made In China" stamp is environmental. If an automaker wants to build a new model in China, adding a green powertrain is an easy way to do that. The CT6 will have both a PHEV option as well as standard gas engine versions. David Leone, Cadillac's executive chief engineer, told AutoblogGreen recently that, "[China is] far more receptive to approving localized production of vehicle programs that have new energy vehicle powertrain applications." To put it succinctly, since the CT6 has a PHEV option, it is easier for GM to build all CT6 models in China. Some of them will then be imported to the US. "Most new global Cadillacs will also be produced in China as well. It's our second-largest market in the world." "To bring any new car into China, to produce it, you need government approval," Leone said. "The government isn't interested in bringing many new cars to market that don't have new energy credits. [The CT6] also provides new energy credits that enables it to be an attractive, well-received product in China." Leone said that there are two main markets for the various CT6 models: China and the US. The car will arrive in the 2017 model year, so some time after the end of June 2016. There are other practical reasons to build the PHEV in China, like the cells in the battery pack. Those are provided by LG Chem, which makes some cells in Michigan but more in South Korea. And GM already builds cars in China through its joint venture with SAIC, Shanghai General Motors, or SGM. "In February 2013 we started making the XTS, in summer of 2014 we started making the ATS-L," Leone said. "We will be producing [the CT6] within a number of months. Most new global Cadillacs will also be produced in China as well. It's our second-largest market in the world." The Chinese and US versions of the CT6 will be identical, Leone said. While some Cadillacs sold in China are slightly different than the US versions – the Chinese ATS is 77 millimeters longer, for example – the CTS6 PHEV will be exactly the same in both places, other than slight tweaks to the trim levels. Still, "more of our cars going forward will be the exact same car," he said. That doesn't mean that sales will be the same everywhere.

This dream home theater and office happens to be in a Cadillac Escalade [w/video]

Need to take a ride cross country in the lap of luxury while still getting some work done? Short of a tour bus, the Concept One Curve from Lexani Motorcars might be one of the most comfy options imaginable. Lexani is usually known for creating opulent armored vehicles, but for the Concept One Curve it focuses on converting a 2015 Cadillac Escalade into a place for work or play. The company strips out the standard passenger compartment to install a higher ceiling with LED lighting, two leather-upholstered power captain's chairs and jump seats. However, the real highlight is a 48-inch curved 4K television mounted against the driver's partition. Don't worry about missing your favorite shows because there's a TracVision Satellite, too. The driver gets a re-covered seat of their own up front. If business needs to get done, the vehicle also includes a Mac Mini computer, tables stowed in the seats and connections for video conferencing. Of course, if you're riding in something this lavish, security might be a concern too. In addition to the window shades, the Concept One Curve features cameras to know what's going on outside. A touchscreen management system lets occupants control the whole setup from the luxurious chairs. Lexani claims that if all of this somehow isn't enough for a buyer, it offers even more options to fit their needs. Scroll down to watch a video tour and read more about this rolling home theater. {C} Lexani Concept One Curve Lexani Motorcars, a boutique luxury conversion company receiving vast international praise, has produced the Concept One Curve - the world's first 2015 Escalade with a built-in 48" 4K Technology Curved Smart TV. Lexani Motorcars is constantly pushing the boundaries of possibility for luxury transportation in everyday vehicles. The Curve is a revisited version of their latest model, the Concept One, with a television upgrade and electronic rear curtains; it is unmatched in its ability to be a premier theater one minute and a five-star mobile office the next. The curved smart TV-which rests on a proprietary electronic partition-is indeed impressive, but it is just one of the numerous amenities this discreet masterpiece boasts.