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Cadillac’s first stab at the luxury EV market has produced a tremendous offering in the form of the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq. The SUV has even been dubbed the electric Escalade after one of the manufacturer’s more popular gas-powered vehicles. Cadillac also hopes the car will make its mark on the now fairly vast EV market, but how does the Lyriq stack up against competing models. Here are four reasons to buy the Cadillac electric SUV, not the Genesis GV60.

The extra range on Cadillac Lyriq pulls it ahead

A gray 2023 Cadillac Lyriq driving down a highway.
2023 Cadillac Lyriq | Creative Commons

Until there’s sufficient charging infrastructure available, EV range will continue to be a significant concern for buyers. This is undoubtedly the case for people living in the west, given the lack of EV charging stations and even those who’d like to go on road trips with their electric vehicles. How this affects your luxury EV purchase choice where the Lyriq and GV60 are concerned is that the former is a better choice.

According to Consumer Reports, the single-motor Lyriq, which is the base model, should provide up to 312 miles of range. This puts the Cadillac SUV in the upper echelon of luxury EVs where range is concerned. It’s sandwiched between the Kia EV6 Wind with its 310-mile range and the Rivian R1T at 314 miles. Also, while an AWD Lyriq is expected to debut in early 2023, the range for this variant is still unknown.

Opting instead for the Genesis GV60 may lead to some range anxiety, with the EV only providing 248 miles of range for the dual-motor base model. While there is a 2WD base model, it’s currently unavailable in the U.S. Also, it’s worth noting the Performance variant featuring an all-wheel drive system sacrifices 13 miles of range, ending up with 235 miles in total.

The larger battery

One of the reasons for the extra driving range is the larger battery capacity in the 2023 Lyriq. This is partly due to General Motor’s relatively new Ultium battery technology that incorporates flat pouch-type cells instead of the cylindrical cells available in other EVs. The technology allows the battery to pack energy more densely than different EV battery variations.

CNBC also notes that the Ultium platform allows different parts of the battery pack to be replaced over time. Ultimately, the battery pack in the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq offers a 100 kWh capacity. With the Genesis GV60, buyers only get a 77.4 kWh capacity.

More maximum power of the Cadillac Lyriq propels it

While the acceleration figures haven’t been released in the U.S. for the two electric vehicles, neither SUV will be a slouch on the track. That said, the Cadillac Lyriq does have superior motor performance figures where horsepower is concerned. The rear-wheel-drive variant, for instance, puts out 340 hp In the GV60’s lineup, the unavailable Advanced 2WD version is much more limited, with only 225 hp.

The most powerful AWD variants from both manufacturers show a similar trend. The Genesis offers 429 hp while its Cadillac counterpart outputs 500 hp. Notably, the GV60 does make up some of the difference with its boost mode raising the maximum power to 483 hp. That said, this mode only lasts 10 seconds.

Also, General Motors hasn’t released the torque figures for the Lyriq. However, GM Authority claims the number could be as high as 524 lb-ft trumping the GV60’s maximum 516 lb-ft of torque in boost mode. Whether this results in faster 0-60 mph acceleration is yet to be determined.

The extra towing capacity of the Cadillac Lyriq pushes it over the top

Another sign that may be indicative of higher torque figures on the Cadillac is the Luxury EV’s towing capacity. After all, at 3,500 lbs, according to Cadillac Society, the Lyriq offers significantly more towing capacity than its counterpart. For context, the GV60 can tow a maximum of 2,000 lbs, according to The Car Guide.

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