The 2026 LYRIQ-V is a Statement of Intent from Cadillac
Cadillac spent much of the last 20 years, and untold millions of dollars, working to put its high-performance -V label on a level playing field with German hot-rodders like M and AMG. So, you didn’t think Cadillac was about to give up on all that work just because it’s diving into the electric era did you? No sir. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The -V brand will move into the electric era too.
With the unveiling of the all-electric 2026 Cadillac LYRIQ-V earlier this year, Cadillac is making a statement of intent: power, performance, cutting-edge tech, and sheer entertainment will very much be a part of the company’s electric era.
“V-Series captures the spirit of Cadillac, embodying our relentless pursuit of engineering excellence through our racing and production vehicles,” said John Roth, Cadillac’s global vice president. “LYRIQ-V takes this commitment a step further in the EV era,” Roth added, “pushing our performance pedigree of V-Series to new heights with a powerful, personalized and high-tech driving experience.”
Prices have yet to be announced, but Cadillac confirmed the 2026 LYRIQ-V should land at Canadian dealership this spring.
Inside the Quickest Caddy Ever
Cadillac is eager to point out that the all-new LYRIQ-V is the firm’s quickest car ever. Rocketing from 0-96 km/h (0-60 mph) in 3.3 seconds, the big electric SUV is quicker even than the CT5-V Blackwing, a supercharged V8-powered sedan. We know from first-hand experience the Blackwing feels like an absolute missile when it takes off, so we have sky-high expectations for the LYRIQ-V.
Muscling this massive machine away from a standstill takes an immense amount of power, as you can imagine. The engineers have blessed this SUV with dual-motor all-wheel drive. Total output is 615 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, according to the company’s internal estimates. Full power is unleashed in “Velocity Max” mode, one of several on offer. Competitive Mode is one we’re especially curious to try out. Cadillac claims it “enables a suite of traction management features specifically engineered to increase vehicle agility.” Could that mean some kind of drift mode? Or is it a track ready Hot Lap mode? We can only hope. A “V” button on the steering wheel grants drivers quick access to their fully-customizable mode of choice.
Since the LYRIQ-V does with the Blackwing’s mighty V8, Cadillac has engineered some added noise into their new EV. “Interior and exterior signature sounds are synchronized for an orchestrated sonic experience,” according ot the company.
In terms of driving range — always important for an EV — Cadillac estimates the LYRIQ-V will do 458 kilometres on a full charge, thanks to a large 102 kWh battery pack.
Power is Nothing Without Fun
Now, if you’re anything like us, it’s not just raw speed that you crave from your performance cars, it’s engagement, interaction, feeling and, above all, entertainment. The thrill of driving has more to do with the finer points of chassis balance, oversteer behaviour, and how alert and lively a car feels than it does horsepower and torque numbers.
To that end, Cadillac’s engineers claim the LYRIQ-V has, “outstanding canyon-carving abilities.” A special Continuous Damping Control system developed for the vehicle works together with multi-link rear suspension and a quicker steering ratio to offer, “comfortable, yet spirited ride and handling.” We shall see soon enough whether these bold claims are true. The latest CT5-V Blackwing will likely go down in history as one of the all-time great sports sedans. Carrying on that legacy into the electric era is no easy task. There’s a lot riding on the LYRIQ-V for Cadillac. Then again, we do wonder if the LYRIQ-V might just be the beginning. Surely there will be other battery-powered -V models, and who knows, could there be an even-more-powerful one wearing the Blackwing badge in the future? We can only hope
