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Cadillac ELR (Converj)
- Thread starter Takumi
- Start date
Production X Configuration Has Begun!
Cadillac ELR Flop Flopped Even Harder In Floppy August
QUOTE: "196 ELRs were sold in America in August 2014, a figure which decreased by 85 units the very next month and by 151 units a year later. Over the course of the last nine months in which Cadillac has reported year-over-year change for the ELR — the range-extended electric went on sale at the end of December 2013 — sales have never fallen this sharply. Indeed, over the first five months of 2015, ELR sales were far healthier, relatively speaking, than during the same period one year earlier. ELR volume more than doubled in January, February, and May and jumped 81 percent through the end of May... Over the last three months, however, U.S. sales of the ELR tumbled 64 percent, a loss of 308 units. August’s plunge to 45 units comes after Cadillac reported 62 ELR sales in June; 66 in July. Cadillac averaged more than 100 ELR sales per month in the first five months of this year; 153 per month in the second-half of last year."
Apparently, a few people are still buying them.
Cadillac ELR Flop Flopped Even Harder In Floppy August
QUOTE: "196 ELRs were sold in America in August 2014, a figure which decreased by 85 units the very next month and by 151 units a year later. Over the course of the last nine months in which Cadillac has reported year-over-year change for the ELR — the range-extended electric went on sale at the end of December 2013 — sales have never fallen this sharply. Indeed, over the first five months of 2015, ELR sales were far healthier, relatively speaking, than during the same period one year earlier. ELR volume more than doubled in January, February, and May and jumped 81 percent through the end of May... Over the last three months, however, U.S. sales of the ELR tumbled 64 percent, a loss of 308 units. August’s plunge to 45 units comes after Cadillac reported 62 ELR sales in June; 66 in July. Cadillac averaged more than 100 ELR sales per month in the first five months of this year; 153 per month in the second-half of last year."
Apparently, a few people are still buying them.
Blastphemy
Member
The ELR is definitely selling more than one per week...
...but not much more than that!
The ELR is definitely selling more than one per week...
...but not much more than that!
So it's out pacing the X?
goneskiian
Active Member
Um, no!
The X hasn't been out for 36 weeks and we just saw founders #36 in the spotted thread.
;-)
Blastphemy
Member
I'm surprised you're not aware of the InsideEVs monthly plug-in sales report card:
Monthly Plug-In Sales Scorecard
The ELR has sold an average of 80 units per month. Cadillac could have sold more if it had priced the 2014 model properly and ever advertised the darned thing. The 2016 model is vastly improved over the 2014, and yet no one even knows it exists. The ELR is one of the coolest looking things on the road with one of the most opulent interiors of any car I've ever seen, but because it's a EREV plug-in, Cadillac doesn't know what to do with it. Had Tesla built the ELR, it would be flying off the shelves (even if the plug-in hybrid drivetrain was kept in lieu of a BEV).
Luckily, I now get to focus my excitement on a truly exciting car with lots of corporate enthusiasm and customer anticipation, even if the overall appearance isn't as mind-blowing as the ELR. Of course, I can walk to a Cadillac dealership today and buy an ELR, but my Model X is probably many months away, even though I reserved in 2013.
Um, yes! See above. And you're assuming the Founders' cars are being delivered in order. Anyway, 36 cars in three months ain't that impressive.
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FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
Blastphemy
Member
This isn't the thread for that discussion, but the ELR has many strengths and brings a lot to the table. Unfortunately, Cadillac completely dropped the ball and never adequately supported that car.
You've perked my interest so I googled ELR. This car is not even in the same league as (any) Tesla, except, maybe, in the upholstery but that's not what most people buy cars for. 37mile range, puny 17kW battery charges in 5 hours, 0-60 in 9 seconds (7.8 with help of ICE).
The 2016 ELR is now close to 7 seconds 0-60 EV and 6.4 with help from the ICE if placed in Sport Mode. EV range is now 39 miles, I think. Still not a Model S but not terrible for a plugin hybrid with EREV. It's a viable car for some folks who want that level of luxury with mostly EV driving in-town but fast gas-station refueling on road trips. As a plugin EREV hybrid, it mostly functions as an EV with training wheels (ICE). It's a safe transition step away from gasoline for people who aren't ready to make the entire switch to BEV right away. Lots of people will want that level of reassurance so we need cars like this to speed the ultimate transition away from gasoline.
Don't forget that if you pay MSRP for the ELR, not that any sane person would, it would cost more than an S70D. Anyway, the ELR is actually an overweight Volt, so I'd imagine sanity would favor the Volt.
Blastphemy
Member
The Volt and ELR put every other plug-in hybrid to shame. Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, etc. all only get 15-20 miles per charge. The Prius Plug-in only gets 8-11. Even the newer plug-in hybrids announced at the LA Auto show last month are all 15-20 miles, if they can even be run on electricity alone at all. More disappointing is that Cadillac's new CT6 flagship will only get 30 EV miles, and there's a lot of evidence that it can't be driven aggressively without using the gas engine in some capacity.
Compare all of that to the Volt and ELR that have 53 and 39 EV-only miles respectively, and don't need the gas engine at all to run at any speed or acceleration (unless you want to go 0-60 in 6.4 seconds in the ELR, of course). What Cadillac doesn't advertise is that the ELR can actually hit about 6.8 seconds 0-60 in EV only mode, but only when the battery is at least at a 50% state of charge, and the driver has to allow some time between aggressive accelerations. Otherwise, it's closer to 7.5 seconds.
When I had my Volt and ELR, I probably filled the gas tank twice per year. For me, that's an equitable trade-off for not having any range anxiety. People who are so fanatical that even that much gas is heresy are missing the bigger picture. These EREV plug-ins are a fantastic gateway drug to the Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus Electric, Tesla S/X, etc. Had I never owned a Volt or ELR, there's no way my wife would have bought a Toyota Rav4 EV nor have reserved a $130k Model X.
If not for Cadillac's disastrous C.U.E. system, I'd still be in my ELR. Such as shame that Cadillac shot itself in the foot with initial pricing for the 2014 model, that awful "Poolside" ad during the Olypmics, and a complete lack of marketing or enthusiasm for that car. I don't even know if Cadillac made a push to get reviews of the 2016 model, because almost every review or article I find that references the 2016 model is just a rehash of the 2014 review. No mention of the increased output or range, the addition of Apple CarPlay and Siri Eyes Free, and the other improvements.
Compare that to how enthusiastic Tesla and its customers are, despite the Model S and Model X costing twice as much as the 2016 ELR yet lacking the jaw-dropping Batmobile exterior and opulent interior.
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.
Compare all of that to the Volt and ELR that have 53 and 39 EV-only miles respectively, and don't need the gas engine at all to run at any speed or acceleration (unless you want to go 0-60 in 6.4 seconds in the ELR, of course). What Cadillac doesn't advertise is that the ELR can actually hit about 6.8 seconds 0-60 in EV only mode, but only when the battery is at least at a 50% state of charge, and the driver has to allow some time between aggressive accelerations. Otherwise, it's closer to 7.5 seconds.
When I had my Volt and ELR, I probably filled the gas tank twice per year. For me, that's an equitable trade-off for not having any range anxiety. People who are so fanatical that even that much gas is heresy are missing the bigger picture. These EREV plug-ins are a fantastic gateway drug to the Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus Electric, Tesla S/X, etc. Had I never owned a Volt or ELR, there's no way my wife would have bought a Toyota Rav4 EV nor have reserved a $130k Model X.
If not for Cadillac's disastrous C.U.E. system, I'd still be in my ELR. Such as shame that Cadillac shot itself in the foot with initial pricing for the 2014 model, that awful "Poolside" ad during the Olypmics, and a complete lack of marketing or enthusiasm for that car. I don't even know if Cadillac made a push to get reviews of the 2016 model, because almost every review or article I find that references the 2016 model is just a rehash of the 2014 review. No mention of the increased output or range, the addition of Apple CarPlay and Siri Eyes Free, and the other improvements.
Compare that to how enthusiastic Tesla and its customers are, despite the Model S and Model X costing twice as much as the 2016 ELR yet lacking the jaw-dropping Batmobile exterior and opulent interior.
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.
Blastphemy
Member
2016 ELR is $65,000 minus the $7,500 Federal tax credit.
Model S 70D is $75,000 minus the $7,500 Federal tax credit.
Pretty simple math.
I didn't sell my ELR; Cadillac repurchased it from me due to them not being able to resolve some chronic issues with my vehicle. I effectively was given a $0 down, $0/month 15-month lease!
Model S 70D is $75,000 minus the $7,500 Federal tax credit.
Pretty simple math.
I didn't sell my ELR; Cadillac repurchased it from me due to them not being able to resolve some chronic issues with my vehicle. I effectively was given a $0 down, $0/month 15-month lease!
Math is pretty simple. The base Model S isn't $110,000. You said Model S and X cost twice the ELR. Not true. Sure if you compare P85D but then that car is slightly quicker and bigger than the ELR.
So why didn't you lease another ELR?
Blastphemy
Member
Fully loaded ELR costs $75,390. Fully loaded Model X costs $149,750. That's twice as much, give or take a few hundred dollars.
Fully loaded ELR costs $75,390. Fully loaded Model S costs $144,000. That's nearly twice as much, give or take a few thousand dollars.
Comparing base models is ridiculous since few people ever buy one of these cars without any add-ons.
Even at $144,000, the Model S still has plastic door interiors, no console between the front seats, and limited range without SuperCharging. And it doesn't even come close to the sexy appearance of the ELR.
Everything is a trade-off. Number of seats, doors, EV miles, total miles, etc. plus everything else. This isn't apples to oranges, no matter how hard anyone wants to believe all EVs should be compared on equal terms. The ELR is a 2-door coupe with a gas range extender while the Tesla is a 4-door hatchback all-electric. Two completely different beasts.
The difference is that Cadillac completely botched its rollout of the ELR, all but guaranteeing low sales. Whereas Tesla cranked up the hype machine to the point that it doesn't need to advertise in order to sell cars at factory capacity.
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The 2016 model hadn't been released at the time Cadillac repurchased my 2014. So I opted for an inexpensive Ford Fusion Energi Titanium for now. (That also helps us to more easily afford the P90D Model X we just configured.)
Well comparing the fulling loaded 70 is the accurate comparison so maybe a $10,000 difference for a 500% increase in EV range. Not the P90D with Ludicrous. Comparing an ELR to that is well Ludicrous. Good effort though.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
I believe I've said previously, but for a $75k compact luxury coupe it was too slow and FWD. The power update helped but only made it on par with $40k compact luxury coupes. Yes, the plug-in angle is great and all, but the people who tend to consider that will focus on comparing with the Volt and then the impression people get is that it is a spiffed up Volt and the premium is too much.
As for comparison to Model S, at the time it was pointed out the Model S base was a full size RWD premium sedan with much quicker acceleration and basically comparison was dismissed.
The price drop to $65k probably did help, but I think it was probably too late as the public had already got the impression it was overpriced. Basically I think from both angles it was in the wrong segment. It was too expensive for a FWD luxury coupe given the performance, and from a plug-in perspective it seemed too similar to the Volt to justify the premium. I'm guessing the full-size CT6 will do a lot better.
As for comparison to Model S, at the time it was pointed out the Model S base was a full size RWD premium sedan with much quicker acceleration and basically comparison was dismissed.
The price drop to $65k probably did help, but I think it was probably too late as the public had already got the impression it was overpriced. Basically I think from both angles it was in the wrong segment. It was too expensive for a FWD luxury coupe given the performance, and from a plug-in perspective it seemed too similar to the Volt to justify the premium. I'm guessing the full-size CT6 will do a lot better.
Blastphemy
Member
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...
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...
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