After many months of speculation, the Cadillac Converj concept car comes to life as the Cadillac ELR today. This coupe features Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV for short) technology, which is a first for a full-line luxury brand.
Whatever you do, don’t confuse it with the “normal” Cadillac CTS coupe. This electric vehicle is anything but, although the two are similarly designed. Rather, it continues the current design theme, and softens it a bit in areas that makes it slightly more pleasing to the eye.
“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.”
There’s tonnes of technology packed into this coupe, and it all begins with the aforementioned EREV technology. It essentially works the same as Chervolet’s Volt, so the driver can make short commutes on electric power, and longer commutes are achieved, thanks to the 1.4L petrol-powered electric generator. In all, the ELR pumps out 207 bhp, and 295 bhp of torque that’s available instantaneously.
The ELR also benefits with the addition of Regen on Demand. As it generally is achieved with braking power, the Regen on Demand can allow the driver to (temporarily) regenerate energy based on the car’s momentum, which is then stored in the battery packs for future use.
The suspension is set up featuring HiPer struts and compound-crank with Watts-link rear suspension. It also features the Continuous Damping Control, which will adjust the damping every two milliseconds for optimal ride and handling.
Additional technical and interior highlights include:
Technical
- Enhanced AT-PZEV emissions…this means that you can drive solo in California’s HOV lanes (check your state for their rules on driving in the HOV lane)
- 20 inch wheels with tyres designed especially for the ELR, as well as LEDs and daytime running lights (DLRs) for both the front and the rear
- Programmable charging schedules coupled with downloadable energy efficiency reports that are available online via your computer or mobile devices
- Advanced safety features that include Safety Alert Seat, Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning in addition to the available Side Blind Zone Alert with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, as well as full-speed-range adaptive cruise control
Interior
- Luxury touches throughout the cabin include microfiber suede, chrome, wood, and available carbon fibre finishes
- Eight-inch configurable instrument and driver information displays, offering four configurations ranging from elegantly simple to technologically enhanced information
- Cadillac CUE with Navigation, which has features such as Natural Voice Recognition and capacitive touch and hand gestures that are generally used on smart phones and tablets
- Auto-glide/power-assisted covered storage/cup holder in the center console
- LED-powered accent lighting in the instrument panel and doors
- Available Opus semi-aniline leather seating
- 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.
Photo Credit: Newspress
