Brands like Tesla have made it abundantly clear that EVs can be highly efficient and seriously quick at the same time. This combination is winning over a large number of followers, but EVs come with a few of their own disadvantages, one being weight. Due to the massive battery packs needed to power their electric motors, EVs weigh significantly more than your average gas-powered vehicle. To put things into perspective, a new Cadillac Lyriq weighs more than a Cadillac Escalade, an SUV considered to be one of the heaviest cars on the road today.
The Cadillac Lyric is classified as a battery-operated midsize luxury crossover SUV, and tips the scales at 5,688 pounds in rear-wheel-drive configuration. Add all-wheel-drive and that figure jumps to 5,915 pounds (that's over twice the weight of a Kia Soul). The Lyric is 196.7 inches long, 77.8 inches wide, 63.9 inches tall, and rolls on a 121.8-inch wheelbase.
The Cadillac Escalade on the other hand is a full-size luxury SUV measuring 211.9 inches in length, 81.1 inches wide, 76.7 inches tall, and rolls on a 120.9-inch wheelbase. Tipping the scale at 5,635 pounds in RWD guise, or 5,823 pounds with AWD, the Lyriq is on average 73 lbs heavier than the Escalade. That might not sound like much, but when you consider the size difference between these cars, it's astounding.
The new Cadillac Lyric, which entered production in March, makes use of GM's latest Ultium battery and drive motor tech. The battery system consists of a 12-module, 100-kWh battery pack that's good for at least 340 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque, and goes up to 500 hp. The maximum range per charge is a solid 300 miles, and charging at a 190-kW station will bag you 76 miles of range in ten minutes.
Despite its hefty curb weight, the Lyric can pounce to 60 mph in around five seconds. The Escalade can do the same sprint in the six-second range. Until manufacturers start to introduce the next generation of battery tech, we'll be stuck with overweight EVs, but as long as they're quick, we don't really care.