Cadillac ELR (Converj)

[dsm363]

Yeah, Cadillac completely blew it. With 20/20 hindsight, I imagine GM would have released the ELR before the Volt, thereby driving enthusiasm for not only the first robust EREV, but also a luxury model at that. Had Cadillac marketed it as a CTS that rarely needed gas, it could have charged CTS prices plus the markup for the Voltec drive. And Cadillac also blew it by publicly explaining that it wanted $75-84k for the ELR specifically because executives saw thousands of people dropping $100k on Teslas that didn't have many of the luxury features found in the ELR. Amazing that it didn't even occur to them that people were spending that $100k on an all-electric RWD 5-door hatchback with ridiculous 0-60 times.

Why Cadillac even bothered with the 2016 model if it wasn't going to try and sell it is beyond me. I guess Johann de Nysschen, Mark Reuss, and Uwe Ellinghaus must all feel very secure in their jobs to be making such idiotic decisions.

Can't wait to see how Cadillac screws up its CT6 launch. Perhaps putting a 4-cylinder engine in a car costing $55k+ will do it! If Caddy ever gets around to putting in a V8 or plug-in hybrid drivetrain, it might be too late.

Still, I've never felt so upper class and noticed driving a Model S as I ever did driving my ELR. The Model S looks like the child of an Audi A7 and Ford Fusion, whereas the ELR looks like a spaceship from Star Wars.



Proves my point that most Tesla fanboys can't see past the acceleration, and think 250 miles of EV is somehow farther than the 400 miles of a plug-in hybrid. There's a lot more to a luxury car than acceleration, as the ELR demonstrates. What's ludicrous is spending $10k to go 1 second faster. Lots of compensating going on out there...

Please. Don't be insulting with terms like fanboys. You're obviously totally objective for the ELR a car that you bailed on as soon as you could. There is more to a luxury car than 0-60 time. 250 miles EV is over 5 times farther than the ELRs EV range. Isn't that the entire point of buying the ELR is that it has a battery and reduces gas use? Otherwise just get any of the other Cadillacs out there without a plug that are much bigger and quicker. A Prius or any gas car can go 300-400 miles on a tank of gas. So what? That's not the point of buying an electric car.

The 70 is much quicker to 60 than one second over the ELR and since you seem to want to compare it to the P90D it's about 5 seconds quicker. Oh. They have autopilot as well.

The ELR is a nice car but just not well done for the price. I don't see why you feel the need to compare it to the Model S anyway. Very different cars for different uses.

 

[jbcarioca]

Dude, the S70D is $10,000 more than the 2016 ELR! And if you think the ELR is just a heavier Volt, then you haven't ever seen or driven one.

As it happens I have seen and driven both of them. I can understand why some people want them, just as I understand i3 and i8 purchases. However, the fact is that the Volt technology replete with excess complexity and GM-style compromises is identical with that of the Volt. There are minor differences due to all that extra weight, but it is identical technology.

it is easy for me to understand why manufacturers and some customers prefer PHEV. It is equally easy to understand why other people prefer the drivetrain simplicity and better responsiveness generally associated with BEV's. For the time being there is not much point in arguing either/or because no traditional car manufacturer presently is capable of producing a fully capable BEV. Obviously that will change within the next few years.

I try to avoid demonizing or closing ignorance about people who disagree with me. I know my own views, strongly held as they are, cannot be the only reasonable ones. I appreciate very much the similar courtesy from others.

 

[dsm363]

As it happens I have seen and driven both of them. I can understand why some people want them, just as I understand i3 and i8 purchases. However, the fact is that the Volt technology replete with excess complexity and GM-style compromises is identical with that of the Volt. There are minor differences due to all that extra weight, but it is identical technology.

it is easy for me to understand why manufacturers and some customers prefer PHEV. It is equally easy to understand why other people prefer the drivetrain simplicity and better responsiveness generally associated with BEV's. For the time being there is not much point in arguing either/or because no traditional car manufacturer presently is capable of producing a fully capable BEV. Obviously that will change within the next few years.

I try to avoid demonizing or closing ignorance about people who disagree with me. I know my own views, strongly held as they are, cannot be the only reasonable ones. I appreciate very much the similar courtesy from others.

Agree. I get why the Volt and ELR would be a better car for some people. Blasphemy has a history of trying to state it's a better EV than the Model S and talk up how much of a better overall car it is than the Model S and any other car for that matter. I don't understand how the ELR can be such an amazing car over ICEs if EV range isn't important. Either you buy the car for its plug in capability meaning EV range has to be an important factor or it's just another feature. If it is then the 500-600% EV range increase on the Model S over the ELR should be a good thing. If EV range doesn't matter and performance doesn't matter just get the much roomier and quicker Cadillacs in their lineup.

The ELR is the nicest and likely best PHEV there is right now but to try and pit it against the Model S makes no sense. Especially if at the first sign of trouble what you turn in your lease and run.

 

[Blastphemy]

Blasphemy has a history of trying to state it's a better EV than the Model S and talk up how much of a better overall car it is than the Model S and any other car for that matter. I don't understand how the ELR can be such an amazing car over ICEs if EV range isn't important. Either you buy the car for its plug in capability meaning EV range has to be an important factor or it's just another feature. If it is then the 500-600% EV range increase on the Model S over the ELR should be a good thing. If EV range doesn't matter and performance doesn't matter just get the much roomier and quicker Cadillacs in their lineup.

You seem to think that most people need more than 35 miles of EV range on most days. Since I got my Volt in 2012 (and 2012 Rav4 EV, and 2014 ELR, and 2015 Ford Fusion Energi), I've been keeping track of the number of days I've driven more than 35 miles between charges. In 4 years, it's been a total of 168 days. Of those 168, my records show that 109 were less than 110 miles and we used the Rav4 EV. On the other 37 days, I used some dinojuice because we had to go further than 110 miles (usually to Las Vegas, San Diego, Arizona, or Denver). But for close to 1,400 days, I only used electrons.

Even with a 500-600% range increase in the Model X, some of the trips I took would not have been possible in the Model S due to no SuperChargers on the route. And aside from those 37 days, I used as much gas as I would have in a Model S - zero. Plus I got to drive one of the hottest looking coupes on the market with one of the nicest interiors around, all the while with zero range anxiety. Can't say that my current Ford Fusion Energi is quite up to that level, but it's a very nice car and is a nice placeholder until my wife gets the Model X this year and I get the Cadillac CT6 plug-in next year.

The ELR is the nicest and likely best PHEV there is right now but to try and pit it against the Model S makes no sense. Especially if at the first sign of trouble what you turn in your lease and run.

I wouldn't call it "turn in my lease and run" since all I wanted for the most part was Cadillac to fix some software problems with CUE. When Cadillac instead offered to repurchase my ELR after 15 months, effectively giving me a 15-month zero down zero payments lease, I couldn't refuse! And considering how much better the 2016 ELR is, there's a good chance in the future I'll own one of those, but I'll probably buy it used to save some $$.