In many ways, the Cadillac Lyriq marks the start of a new era for Cadillac. Not only is it the American automaker's first-ever fully electric vehicle, but it's also the first Cadillac model not to have an alphanumeric name since the early 2000s. But how did the Cadillac Lyriq get its name?

Speaking with GM Authority, Cadillac's head of global brand strategy, Phil Dauchy, revealed the Lyriq will be the first of a new generation of Cadilac vehicle names that end in "iq", replacing the current "CT#" and "XT#" names used for the automaker's combustion-powered cars and crossovers such as the Cadillac CT6 Sedan and Cadillac XT6 crossover.

Dauchy added this new naming structure for future models "signals that Cadillac is bringing a different type of vehicle to market, one that works in concert with man, nature, and machine." If you're wondering why Cadillac decided to call its first electric vehicle the Lyriq, Dauchy explained that this is a reference to Cadillac being the most mentioned brand in songs - and that doesn't just include automotive brands.

After a delay due to the global pandemic, the Cadillac Lyriq will debut as an electric crossover concept on August 6. Originally, Cadillac was planning to show the Lyriq concept to the world at the New York Auto Show back in April.

Details about Cadillac's new luxury electric crossover are still scarce, but a teaser video released by GM in March previewed the Lyriq's sleek shape and 34-inch curved OLED screen. Underpinning the Lyriq will be GM's new modular electric vehicle platform.

After the Cadillac lifts the wraps off the Lyriq next month, Cadillac's next fully electric vehicle will be the Celestiq sedan, but its debut date is still unknown. When it debuts, Dauchy promises we will be blown away by the design. "When you see [the Cadillac Celestiq], its size, presence and scale all connote the emotion associated with the name," he said.