Topic: Test Drive: 2014 Cadillac ELR

[Autos_Editor]

ELR leads the way with an authentic electric-driving experience, and authentic Cadillac traits

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[Guy]

Interesting but for that price I would get a Tesla.

[pcsp]

The reviewer says "So the ELR isn’t completely an electric car..." because of the range extending generator. Do we view the BMWi3 in the same manner because it has the OPTION of a similar range-extending internal-combustion engine? I look at the ELR (and the Volt) as electric cars that have an important and essential feature - lack of range anxiety. This not only makes the vehicle more user friendly, but ultimately will allow it to be used more, even in EV mode, than other electric vehicles with the limitation that results from not having this feature.

GM has obviously made some advances with the range extending economy. 4.5 L/100 km. once the battery is depleted is outstanding and, as I recall, exceeds the capability of the Volt in past reviews. If I had $80,000 to spend on a vehicle, the ELR would be on my VERY short list (wonder if it's a good lease deal?).

[MR2Pritch]

The reviewer says "So the ELR isn’t completely an electric car..." because of the range extending generator. Do we view the BMWi3 in the same manner because it has the OPTION of a similar range-extending internal-combustion engine? I look at the ELR (and the Volt) as electric cars that have an important and essential feature - lack of range anxiety. This not only makes the vehicle more user friendly, but ultimately will allow it to be used more, even in EV mode, than other electric vehicles with the limitation that results from not having this feature.

GM has obviously made some advances with the range extending economy. 4.5 L/100 km. once the battery is depleted is outstanding and, as I recall, exceeds the capability of the Volt in past reviews. If I had $80,000 to spend on a vehicle, the ELR would be on my VERY short list (wonder if it's a good lease deal?).

I mentioned it not being a 'purely' electric car since it does, at the end of the day, have the capability to burn gas. And some of the die-hard green-car folks find that sort of blasphemous. Still very much an electric car indeed.

[Guy]

Wonder if it is a good lease deal?

I priced one with taxes on the GM site, basic model, no options or upgrades. Using the Québec $8K incentive as a down payment it comes to $1041 per month. for 4 years, 80,000 km lease. ($1228/month for a 3 year, 60K km lease) .5% financing for both options. Residual after 4 years is $24,816, a very low 30% of the original value. By comparison, a lowly Kia Rio 5 on lease retains 44% of it's original value after 4 years, 80,000 kms. So for me the lease deal is very bad....I guess we wont see many on the road..

[pcsp]

Wonder if it is a good lease deal?

I priced one with taxes on the GM site, basic model, no options or upgrades. Using the Québec $8K incentive as a down payment it comes to $1041 per month. for 4 years, 80,000 km lease. ($1228/month for a 3 year, 60K km lease) .5% financing for both options. Residual after 4 years is $24,816, a very low 30% of the original value. By comparison, a lowly Kia Rio 5 on lease retains 44% of it's original value after 4 years, 80,000 kms. So for me the lease deal is very bad....I guess we wont see many on the road..

Thanks, great info. Ouch! That residual is murder. I guess I was just thinking of the lease wars in the US for electric vehicles ($199 per month seems to be the sweet spot: Volt, Fiat 500e, Leaf). One must always read the fine print, however. Maybe pick one of these up in 4 years for $25,000?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Wonder if it is a good lease deal?

I priced one with taxes on the GM site, basic model, no options or upgrades. Using the Québec $8K incentive as a down payment it comes to $1041 per month. for 4 years, 80,000 km lease. ($1228/month for a 3 year, 60K km lease) .5% financing for both options. Residual after 4 years is $24,816, a very low 30% of the original value. By comparison, a lowly Kia Rio 5 on lease retains 44% of it's original value after 4 years, 80,000 kms. So for me the lease deal is very bad....I guess we wont see many on the road..

Expensive cars in general have the highest depreciation rates. 2010 5 series BMWs currently on EBay are all sitting under $30k except for a few very low mileage examples.

[JacobBlack]

For those who are interested, the youtube video was added this morning.

[tooscoops]

that header pic looks super sculpted and futuristic.. almost too much so. from the other angles it looks a bit more human...

nice car i'd say... for the money, yeah, i'd be in the tesla camp as well, but that's just MY practicality kicking in.. i need the extra space in side in exchange for the extended range. plus, i think the understated tesla look is more my style than the very much Cadillac look of this beast... both pretty but in different ways.

nice car and nice to see such advances in this technology without sacrificing the drivability and luxury feel.

[ChaosphereIX]

a looker for sure, but Tesla for me too...

[whaddaiknow]

Tesla hands down.

[Neromanceres]

Nice Car,  Great Review!  The price is steep for this car.  But this is one of those cars where if you have to ask how much it is then it's not for you.

If I had the coin the Model S would not work for me.  It's winter driving range won't get me from my house to my family's home and back again with confidence.  Also the ELR has a nicer interior than the Model S.  Not that the Model S has a bad interior.  I would say the Model S has interior on par with cars in the $50K price range.  The ELR has an interior on par with similarly priced cars.  With the Model S I wouldn't like being a power outage away from not being able to get to work or respond to some family emergency.  The ELR has no compromises from a traditional gas powered car.

For the 4.5L/100kms observed on the highway trip that would be a trip total that would have included the first ~60kms of all electric driving.   If you take those 60kms out and calculate the gas only economy that number would rise to 5.5 to 6L/100kms which is what I would see in my Volt.

[Guy]

4 were sold in Canada in June, of these 2 in Quebec.

[Northernridge]

4 were sold in Canada in June, of these 2 in Quebec.

I think it's a dud.
Is there any reason to consider the car successful in any way? I think it looks terrible and should have been rebuilt under the new CTS Coupe bodywork so it would look like a car for grown-ups. 

[EV-Light]

The reviewer says "So the ELR isn’t completely an electric car..." because of the range extending generator. Do we view the BMWi3 in the same manner because it has the OPTION of a similar range-extending internal-combustion engine? I look at the ELR (and the Volt) as electric cars that have an important and essential feature - lack of range anxiety. This not only makes the vehicle more user friendly, but ultimately will allow it to be used more, even in EV mode, than other electric vehicles with the limitation that results from not having this feature.

GM has obviously made some advances with the range extending economy. 4.5 L/100 km. once the battery is depleted is outstanding and, as I recall, exceeds the capability of the Volt in past reviews. If I had $80,000 to spend on a vehicle, the ELR would be on my VERY short list (wonder if it's a good lease deal?).

The engine will kick automatically in cold weather...so basically, this will be a hybrid car for most of winter! The i3 doesn't use the auxiliary engine to warm up the batteries.

[Waterlooresident]

Yeah, I do have to agree with 'GUY' ; for that price I would get a Tesla instead.