Cadillac Celestiq flagship EV teased at CES 2021

January 13, 2021January 13, 2021 John Carey 2463 Views cadillac, Celestiq, electric car, ev, general motors, GM, Limousine, Tesla

Cadillac’s long-promised and soon-to-arrive electric flagship luxury EV was teased at the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show, which was held virtually for the first time.

The GM-owned Cadillac brand promised to produce the large luxury car that is set to be partly hand-assembled in the “near future”.

Teaser showing the headlight and grille of the new Cadillac Celestiq flagship limousine

In line with Cadillac’s shift to name cars ending in “iq” – as with the upcoming Cadillac Lyriq – the ultra low volume (think 400 vehicles per year) uber-luxury machine to sit at the top of the imminently-EV-only Cadillac lineup will be called Celestiq.

Teaser showing the badge of the new Cadillac Celestiq flagship limousine as displayed on the enormous digital screen inside

The Celestiq made a shadowy appearance behind GM’s Australian design chief Mike Simcoe – the man who helped shape almost every Commodore and the born-again Monaro – during his segment of the show.

Though it was impossible to get a good look at the Celestiq, it is clearly intended to attract the same kind of wealthy customers as the Mercedes-Benz EQS and due to launch later this year. With previous suggestions it will be largely hand-assembled the Celestiq also appears to be punching into Rolls-Royce territory, vying for claims of the “world’s best car”.

Teaser showing the wide digital display screen sprawling across the dashboard of the new Cadillac Celestiq flagship limousine

But the Celestiq is also key to GM – one of the giants of American manufacturing – playing catch-up to Tesla, a former minnow of the car world but now valued at many multiples of all American car makers.

A video accompanying the presentation showed the Celestiq will have a vast digital display screen sprawling the entire width of the dash.

Teaser showing the electrochromatic roof that is segmented in quadrants of the new Cadillac Celestiq flagship limousine

As well as all-wheel-drive and four-wheel-steering, the Celestiq will feature an all-glass roof. The twist? The glass will be electrochromatic – meaning its colour and opacity can be adjusted – and divided into four zones, one for each passenger.

Teaser showing some of the switchgear of the new Cadillac Celestiq flagship limousine

Simcoe also said that only three basic platforms would provide the basis for the future EVs from Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac. The move to simplify the selection of architectures is part of a broader move by General Motors to transform into an EV company and improve profitability by reducing components and manufacturing costs and complexity.

Teaser showing the tail light of the new Cadillac Celestiq flagship limousine

Simcoe also revealed a couple of Cadillac concepts. One was a single-seat vertical-take-off-and-landing flying passenger pod powered a 90kWh battery.

The other was an almost cubic chill space on wheels, again electric. Both belong in the “don’t hold your breath” category but at least show that GM is thinking more along the lines of mobility rather than limiting itself to a car maker.

John Carey

Grew up in country NSW, way back when petrol was laced with lead. Has written about cars and the car business for more than 35 years, working full-time and freelance for leading mags, major newspapers and websites in Australia and (sometimes) overseas. Avidly interested in core EV technologies like motors and batteries, and believes the switch to electromobility definitely should be encouraged. Is waiting patiently for someone to make a good and affordable EV that will fit inside his tiny underground garage in northern Italy, where he's lived for the past decade. Likes the BMW i3, but it's just too damned wide...