Cadillac ELR (Converj)

[thelastdeadmouse]

$75,000 makes this thing a debacle. I can't think of a single compelling reason why you'd buy this over a Model S. By the time this car is available for purchase, the vast majority of the US should have Supercharger coverage, making long distance range a non-issue. Other than the customer ascetic and interior tastes, there's nothing else this would have over a base Model S with supercharging, including price.

 

[AnOutsider]

Just... Wow. In the high 50's yes. 75k? Wow.

 

[Zythryn]

To be fair, if the comparison is another Cadillac or luxury car, the electric drive of the ELS gives it a higher drive quality than any ICE based competition.
You just have to not compare it with a Model S

 

[Doug_G]

I dunno, sounds to me like they don't want this product to succeed. Maybe they don't. "See, electric cars don't sell!"

 

[mknox]

I dunno, sounds to me like they don't want this product to succeed. Maybe they don't. "See, electric cars don't sell!"

I don't really think that's the case. They could have just done that with the Volt if that was their intent. And not proceed with the Spark EV. I think like Toyota with their Hybrid system, GM has a lot invested in the so-called Voltec technology and are trying to wring as much out of it as they can.

 

[Grendal]

I was really hoping the ELR would come in around $60K so it would be a competitive alternative to the Model S. I'd choose a Model S in a heartbeat, but at $75K it is like GM is giving up.

Time to buy more TSLA stock.

 

[roblab]

$75,000 makes this thing a debacle. I can't think of a single compelling reason why you'd buy this over a Model S. By the time this car is available for purchase, the vast majority of the US should have Supercharger coverage, making long distance range a non-issue. Other than the customer ascetic and interior tastes, there's nothing else this would have over a base Model S with supercharging, including price.

Maybe cupholders?

 

[RDoc]

It should be named "The Voltarron, by Cadillac"

 

[wallet.dat]

It's comparable in looks to the Model S. Both look pretty slick, but that's where the equality ends.

 

[KensingtonPark]

I think that the price comparison is probably a little apples to oranges. Here's why:

Probably a fully-loaded car. Based on the low production volumes, they're going to have to spec this car virtually fully loaded. The only options will likely be paint and dealer-installable options like wheels and spoilers.
MSRP will not equal purchase price. In most parts of the country, the Volt sells at a considerable discount from MSRP, and GM offers highly subsidized pricing. They will have to do the same with the ELR, not necessarily because of demand issues but because people who shop at car dealers INSIST on getting what they perceive to be "a deal." Other than their "V" line of performance trim cars, virtually all Cadillacs sell at a discount of 5-10% off of MSRP, and that is before deals that include very highly subsidized financing. Contrast this with the Model S, which sells exactly at MSRP.

I don't disagree that the MSRP that they are showing is a little high. I actually wanted to be able to purchase both an ELR and a Model S for my household. My guess is that the Model S (that I have configured) and the Cadillac purchase prices will be about $25K apart, making the comparably equipped Model S about 35% more expensive that the ELR. That's about right, but I wonder how many people like me there really are, since they really only prettied up the Volt and didn't advance the platform at all.

 

[domenick]

...
MSRP will not equal purchase price. In most parts of the country, the Volt sells at a considerable discount from MSRP, and GM offers highly subsidized pricing. They will have to do the same with the ELR, not necessarily because of demand issues but because people who shop at car dealers INSIST on getting what they perceive to be "a deal." Other than their "V" line of performance trim cars, virtually all Cadillacs sell at a discount of 5-10% off of MSRP, and that is before deals that include very highly subsidized financing. Contrast this with the Model S, which sells exactly at MSRP.

I don't disagree that the MSRP that they are showing is a little high. I actually wanted to be able to purchase both an ELR and a Model S for my household. My guess is that the Model S (that I have configured) and the Cadillac purchase prices will be about $25K apart, making the comparably equipped Model S about 35% more expensive that the ELR. That's about right, but I wonder how many people like me there really are, since they really only prettied up the Volt and didn't advance the platform at all.

Instead of subsidizing, they should have just introduced it with a lower MSRP. I've read a lot of the comments about the price on different sites and the consensus seems to be that it ought to start between $50,000 and $60,000.

I'll echo your point about advancing the platform. The ELR should have had rear-wheel electric drive with some front drive off the planetary system at speed, and perhaps some aluminum or composite body panels to help make up the weight. I hope they energy-to-weight of the battery is improved over that in the Volt also.

The real proof, of course, will come with the test drives. The car better feel like a $75,000 experience from the driver's seat.

 

[Gwgan]

Competition from Cadillac?

Is There Room For A $75,000 Cadillac In The Tesla Stratosphere? - Forbes

What I find interesting here is the apples to pear comparison to leverage Tesla awareness into a Cadillac announcement. Also the use of the term plug-in without the hybrid designation make it seem like a more valid comparison.

 

[Discoducky]

But will it depreciate as fast as other Caddy's? This will be telling if there is demand and it turns out to be performant.

 

[smorgasbord]

Well, it does have:

• Full LED headlamps and taillamps
• Forward Collision Alert
• Lane Departure Warning
• Side Blind Zone Alert
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Full-speed-range adaptive cruise control
• Online programmable charging schedules and energy-efficiency reports

Some of which are not available with Model S. Yet.

The rear seats look quite cramped:

 

[Palpatine]

This car is clearly aimed at the same market segment as the Model S. The market is people that can afford a $70,000+ car and they want to drive electric.
But I don't get the feeling that people who want to plug-in would want a car like this. 35 miles is a joke.

Why won't anyone just make a 200+ mile pure EV and go head to head with Tesla?
Doesn't anyone else see that this 200 mile threshold is one of the primary reasons that Tesla is being so successful?

Maybe GM just doesn't want to do a Supercharger network, so they keep wanting to put a gas engine in there.

 

[dsm363]

$75,000 if they had bumped electric range up to 60 miles then they might have something. 60 miles would take care of most people's daily commute. At least make the number bigger than the Volt to charge that premium otherwise just buy a regular Caddy.

 

[vfx]

• There is the possibility of long drives without waits at charge stations. (Some still thing this is an advantage).

• It comes from a company people have heard of before two years ago.

And over other caddys:

• HOV

• Fed and state discounts

 

[mep]

This car is clearly aimed at the same market segment as the Model S. The market is people that can afford a $70,000+ car and they want to drive electric.

Yes, I am sure GM is trying hard to get a cake of that new luxury/performance EV market. They have made it abundantly clear in recent weeks. However, the ELR IS a Volt. The Volt tried to appear more than it is. It is not a midsize sedan. It is quite small. What appears to be a Volt design element, the black rim below each window it a clever trick by the designers to make the car appear to have larger windows. Because the car is so small without this trick it would likely not have been possible to role down larger windows completely. Now the ELR is even smaller than the Volt, less head room, less shoulder room, less storage space and only two doors. It has a range 3 miles below that of the Volt and with an estimated 0-60 of about 8 seconds it is in a different ball park than the Model S. In summary, it is smaller, has way less performance and has a pathetic range when compared to the MS. It may be aiming at the same market segment as the Model S but in my view it will most likely not be very successful even if one gets it discounted 20%.

 

[Palpatine]

I think that someone in the market for one of these would likely test drive a Tesla Model S also prior to pulling the trigger.
I cannot imagine someone picking that car over a Model S.

If they get them at the Cadillac dealer here I will certainly go test drive one just so I can see what it is like. But I am not expecting much based on those specs.

 

[RobStark]

I think that the price comparison is probably a little apples to oranges.

The car should have an MSRP of about $55k pretty much fully loaded($20k premium over a base Volt) and then the typical dealer discount. That is going to be the approximate real world transaction price. Many will not even consider based on the MSRP. Once it is well known how big the discounts are the ELR/Converj will be considered distressed merchandise and a failure. Should just put the MSRP closer to reality. Like they should have done with the Volt from the beginning.