Cadillac LYRIQ-V Wins the Stopwatch as V-Series Goes Electric

The 2026 Cadillac LYRIQ-V reaches 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, the quickest Cadillac ever. Cadillac quotes that time only in Velocity Max, and independent tests have matched it.

The first electric V-Series is not a sedan. It is a dual-motor SUV that Cadillac lists at 5,980 pounds, with peak 615 hp gated behind a steering-wheel button and shared with a cheaper Chevrolet.

A 3.3-Second Cadillac, Confirmed

On January 23, 2025, Cadillac called the LYRIQ-V the quickest Cadillac ever in that reveal, with Launch Control and a Cadillac-estimated 3.3-second run based on initial vehicle movement, closed course only. Production started in early 2025 at General Motors’ Spring Hill Manufacturing plant in Tennessee, for sale in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other markets. The car is in dealerships now.

Independent tests have reproduced the 3.3-second claim. They have also weighed finished vehicles just over 6,000 pounds, a few dozen pounds above Cadillac’s published 5,980-pound minimum. The quarter-mile lands around 12 seconds, and an electronic limiter holds top speed at 130 mph. Straight-line speed was never the hard part of putting two motors in a 102 kWh pack.

HOW THE V-SERIES STACKS ON A STOPWATCH

Those figures are Cadillac’s own, including Velocity Max where the electric models use it. The 615 hp SUV is quicker to 60 than the 668 hp sedan. It is also the lightest way to read a table that no longer treats V-Series as one kind of car.

FROM REVEAL TO SHOWROOM

1. January 23, 2025: Cadillac unveils the 2026 LYRIQ-V as the first all-electric V-Series, with an MSRP of $79,990 including destination.
2. Early 2025: Production begins at Spring Hill, Tennessee, using U.S. and globally sourced parts.
3. Spring 2025: Customer deliveries start; two trims go on sale, LYRIQ-V and LYRIQ-V Premium.
4. Late 2025: Independent tests match the 3.3-second claim and post EPA range of 285 miles.

Cadillac’s 2026 V-Series page now lists the LYRIQ-V from $78,595, a from-price that excludes destination, tax, title, and dealer fees. The January sticker of $79,990 included the freight charge. Premium starts at $83,795 and adds a 19.2 kW onboard charger, Nappa leather, and a power glass roof.

Peak Power Lives Behind the V Button

A long press of the V button on the steering wheel brings up Velocity Max, outlines the gauges in red, and unlocks the full 615 hp and 650 lb-ft (880 Nm). Without that mode, output falls back toward the regular dual-motor LYRIQ’s 515 hp and 450 lb-ft. Competitive Mode, also tied to the V button, loosens stability control and shifts torque to help the SUV rotate. Launch Control asks you to hold brake and throttle, then dump the brake.

Velocity Max switches off at key-off. Every cold start, the driver has to ask for the record again. That is a range-saving choice, and it is also the tell: 615 hp is a setting, not the default character of the car. We already logged that dual-motor layout in a full 615 hp performance rundown, including the 3.3-second claim and the $84,000 neighborhood optioned cars actually sticker for.

LYRIQ-V AT A GLANCE

• Output: 615 hp and 650 lb-ft in Velocity Max, dual-motor all-wheel drive.
• Battery and range: 102 kWh usable pack, EPA-estimated 285 miles.
• Mass and tow: 5,980-pound published curb weight, 3,500-pound trailering rating.
• Chassis: Lowered 5-link suspension with Continuous Damping Control, 22-inch wheels, Brembo six-piston front calipers on 15.35-inch rotors.

Chief engineer Dave Stutzman said the rigid body and lower center of gravity let the team tune for precision and isolation, “adding to its outstanding canyon-carving abilities.” Testers who have used Competitive Mode on a closed course agree it is sharper than a standard LYRIQ. They also keep saying it is still a three-ton crossover with a soundtrack piped through a 23-speaker AKG system, interior and exterior noises synced on purpose. V-Series used to announce itself with a supercharger. This one cues a track.

The Chevrolet That Matches the Horsepower

The LYRIQ-V’s motors and pack sit on the same Ultium hardware as Chevrolet’s Blazer EV SS. Chevrolet rates that SS at 615 hp and 650 lb-ft in Wide Open Watts, claims 3.4 seconds to 60, and posts 303 miles of EPA range. The Chevy starts in the low $60,000s. Cadillac’s V is the same peak output with a lower ride height, Continuous Damping Control, V-Mode, the crystal shield, and a cabin aimed at a different buyer.

Independent quarter-mile runs have even had the Chevrolet trap a tick quicker, with more speed at the end of the run. Buyers who only want the number can get it without the V badge. Buyers who want Super Cruise, the 33-inch display, the dual-plane head-up display, and Cadillac’s materials are paying for that layer, not for a secret motor. The 100 hp and 200 lb-ft Cadillac added over the 515 hp dual-motor LYRIQ are real. They are not unique inside GM.

That math is the part the launch copy skipped. A V-Series premium used to buy a hand-built supercharged V8 the rest of the showroom did not get. Here it buys calibration, brakes, tires, and trim on a powertrain Chevrolet already sells.

The Blackwing Sedan Is Still on Sale

V-Series started with the CTS-V in 2004. The name that enthusiasts still use for the hard core is Blackwing, revived in 2018 for the last analog Cadillacs. The 2026 CT5-V Blackwing still uses a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 with 668 hp and 659 lb-ft, rear drive, and a choice of six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic. Cadillac quotes 3.4 seconds to 60. It lists from $98,900, about $20,000 above the LYRIQ-V’s current from-price, and weighs about 1,900 pounds less.

V-Series captures the spirit of Cadillac, embodying our relentless pursuit of engineering excellence through our racing and production vehicles. LYRIQ-V takes this commitment a step further in the EV era, pushing our performance pedigree of V-Series to new heights with a powerful, personalized and high-tech driving experience that fits perfectly into our customers’ lives.

John Roth, vice president, Global Cadillac, January 23, 2025 reveal

Cadillac’s current V-Series lineup now runs from a 325 hp CT4-V to the 682 hp Escalade-V, with two electric SUVs in the middle. The OPTIQ-V undercuts the LYRIQ-V at $67,300, 519 hp, 3.5 seconds, and 278 miles. The badge is a trim ladder. The Blackwing remains the car that still offers a clutch pedal and a 200 mph claim. Cadillac did not put a Blackwing name on the LYRIQ-V, and the chassis work shows why. This is a fast luxury SUV, not a track sedan with a battery.

What Extra Money Buys in a Porsche

The LYRIQ-V’s job in the market is the $80,000 electric performance SUV, not a fight with a 4,100-pound sedan. Porsche lists the Macan Turbo Electric from $112,700, more than $33,000 above Cadillac’s $78,595 from-price, with 3.1 seconds to 60, 630 hp on overboost, and a 162 mph top speed. Tesla’s Model Y Performance sits well below both on price and still claims a 3.3-second run.

WHERE THE $80,000 SLOT ACTUALLY SITS

• Chevrolet Blazer EV SS: Same 615 hp peak, 3.4-second claim, 303 miles, priced in the low $60,000s.
• Cadillac LYRIQ-V: 615 hp in Velocity Max, 3.3 seconds, 285 miles, from $78,595, Super Cruise standard.
• Porsche Macan Turbo Electric: 630 hp overboost, 3.1 seconds, from $112,700, 162 mph.
• Cadillac OPTIQ-V: 519 hp, 3.5 seconds, 278 miles, from $67,300, the cheaper electric V.

On looks and cabin, the Cadillac is the car people stop to photograph. The crystal shield, black roof, 22-inch dark wheels with the etched V, and optional Magnus Metal Frost paint do the work the fake exhaust is trying to do. German rivals still charge more for a smaller cabin. The Porsche buys handling pedigree and a higher limiter. The Cadillac buys space, a 28.0-cubic-foot hold behind the rear seats (60.8 with the backs folded), and a 3,500-pound tow rating.

285 Miles on the EPA Sticker

Cadillac first quoted 285 miles as an estimate. The company now prints it as EPA-estimated range, with 87 city, 72 highway, and 80 combined MPGe in independent spec sheets. The regular rear-drive LYRIQ is rated at 326 miles. Dual-motor non-V models sit in the low 300s. The V’s 22-inch summer tires, lower gearing (11.59:1 front, 11.63:1 rear), and extra power cut that figure.

A steady 70-mph road-trip test has returned 255 miles, which is a fair highway number for a performance SUV on this pack. Mixed-loop tests have even beaten the sticker when the driver stays out of Velocity Max. Use the V button the way the brochure shows, and the 285-mile claim will not be the number you see.

CADILLAC’S OWN CHARGE RATES

Cadillac lists a 190 kW peak on public DC. Independent peak-charge runs have been slower than that headline, with roughly 80 miles in 15 minutes and just under 120 in 30. Rivals that hold 250 kW or more still drop the LYRIQ-V on a road trip even when the EPA miles look close. The car now uses a NACS port, so Tesla Superchargers work with GM’s adapter. Home charging on the base V is the 11.5 kW unit; the Premium’s 19.2 kW pack is the one that makes overnight fills realistic on a 100-amp circuit.

Brembo fronts are standard, with optional red calipers and a performance lining. Testers have seen fade after hard repeats, which is the mass talking. Summer-only 275/40R22 tires are standard; Cadillac sells all-seasons, and the company warns not to run the summer set in winter.

Super Cruise Comes With a Three-Year Clock

Every LYRIQ-V includes Super Cruise and three years of OnStar connected service. After that, an eligible paid plan is required. The system is hands-free Super Cruise on compatible roads that are divided from oncoming traffic, with lane-centering, adaptive cruise, and, on mapped stretches, lane changes. It will not take a freeway exit, run a red light, or steer around a work zone. Maximum speed in the system is 85 mph, and it slows itself in sharp curves.

The live argument around this car is no longer the 3.3-second time. People who live in Tesla software treat Super Cruise as a miss because it cannot drive itself everywhere. People who want a mapped, supervised highway system with a camera on the driver’s eyes treat it as the reason to pay Cadillac instead of Chevrolet. Owners are already taking over-the-air updates; one 2026 LYRIQ-V finished a GM software package in about six minutes. The V button and the Super Cruise button now share a steering wheel, which is the product Cadillac actually built: a quiet, heavy SUV that will launch in 3.3 seconds on a closed course and then drive itself down a mapped interstate with your hands in your lap.

Cadillac lists the 2026 LYRIQ-V from $78,595, with the Premium from $83,795. Both carry the same 3.3-second claim in Velocity Max, the same 285-mile EPA figure, and Super Cruise for three years. The stopwatch is settled. The badge is doing different work than it did on a Blackwing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the 2026 Cadillac LYRIQ-V tow a trailer?

Cadillac rates trailering capacity at 3,500 pounds, the same as other LYRIQ models, and cargo volume is 28.0 cubic feet behind the rear seats or 60.8 with the seatbacks folded. Passenger, cargo, and accessory weight all cut into that tow number, and Super Cruise lane-change features are not available while trailering.

What does LYRIQ-V Premium add over the base V?

Premium starts at $83,795 and is the trim with the 19.2 kW onboard charger, a power SkyGlass roof, and Black or Kona Brown Sauvage Nappa seating with V-Series embroidery. The base V keeps the 11.5 kW charger and Inteluxe seats; both trims get Velocity Max, Brembo fronts, and Super Cruise.

Can you use the standard 22-inch summer tires in snow?

Cadillac says not to use the standard summer-only 275/40R22 tires in winter, because they hurt safety, performance, and durability, and that damage is not covered by the new-vehicle warranty. All-season self-sealing tires are the factory alternative, and only GM-approved wheel and tire combinations are supported.

Does Super Cruise stay free after the trial?

Super Cruise includes three years of connectivity. After that window, an eligible OnStar Super Cruise plan must be purchased, maps must keep updating, and the system stays limited to compatible divided roads. If a map update is missed for seven months, Super Cruise disables until the maps are refreshed.