2014 Cadillac ELR. Electrifying?

Before jumping into the new 2015 Cadillac Escalade, crankandpiston is invited to take a spin in the electric Cadillac ELR.

In the midst of the beautiful Palmetto Bluff setting, where the silence is broken only by the chirrups of birds, the rustle of squirrels racing from tree to tree and the occasional snap of an alligator’s jaws, it’s apt that the first vehicle we’re putting to the test is the almost all electric – and thus almost totally silent – 2014 Cadillac ELR.

Marketed with the first Extended Range Electric Vehicle technology by a full-line luxury automotive brand, the ELR is just one of several new products launched by Cadillac in the last three years (alongside the updated ATS and XTS saloons, the brand new CTS and Escalade flagship SUV). CEOs eying those market percentages? Naturally, but there is a little more to it than that. On a roll as of late with sales figures, parent company General Motors has set itself the herculean challenge of becoming one of the ten largest brands on the planet by 2022. Not manufacturers; brands, up there with Coca Cola and apple. It’s a mammoth task, and in a world ever more fascinated with green technology, a premium hybrid sports coupe seems as good as any place to get the ball rolling.

Hardly surprising then that, back in Palmetto Bluff, our attention is first drawn to the ELR’s hybrid powerplant equipped with EREV witchcraft. At the base is a 1.4-litre four-cylinder gas-powered electric generator that kicks out 84hp, which runs in conjunction with two electric motors that send up to 181hp to the front wheels. In total, the ELR kicks out 217hp and 295lb ft of pretty instant torque. Now whilst that quick maths lesson adds up to a solid if unspectacular 7.8 second 0-100kph time and a 170kph top speed, it does work wonders for the fuel range, Cadillac claiming the ELR could run non-stop on electric power alone for 545km: that’s enough to take you across Belgium (twice) without using a single drop of fuel. It’s a result of Regen on Demand technology, which intermittently regenerates kinetic energy from the vehicle into electricity that is then stored in the 16.5kWh lithium-ion batteries, a technology similar in principal to Formula 1’s Kinetic Energy Recovery System (but, y’know, without the push-to-pass button). Even if you do consider electric power a limp-wristed alternative to fossil fuels, it’s still pretty impressive.

Impressive, certainly, but what does that equate to when driving? Regrettably – owing to for a packed weekend schedule here in Savannah, Georgia – where crankandpiston has travelled to test drive the new 2015 Cadillac Escalade – we have only 35 minutes to throw the car around in anger.

‘Firing’ the ELR into life brings with it a melody from the on-board computer and…nothing much else. Were it not for the air conditioning on at full pelt in this 30-degree heat and the all-digital information screen in front of the driver lighting up, you’d be forgiven for thinking that nothing has happened. Head and legroom prove a little disappointing but the coupe’s cabin does at least boast those all-important Cadillac trademarks, including leather seats, well put together upholstery and a low seating position. It’s important to give the devil its due on the outside too, for the ELR – complete with the same raw, angular, menacing profile as the rest of Cadillac’s saloon portfolio – is a superb looking piece of kit. Fans of the shortlived 2009 Converj concept may recognise a few tricky details like the rising rear haunches and ripped bonnet lines.

These pale into insignificance though when we try to get into the ELR. It won’t open. At least it won’t until you find the haptic button beneath the door panel where there should be a handle. Even inside the door handles have been replaced with buttons, and one half expects a cloud of dry ice to waft out when you finally get the bloody things open.

Enough stalling though: how does the arch-nemesis of internal combustion actually drive. Again, with only 35 minutes to make the most of, it’s difficult to be fully objective. Nearly 300lb ft of torque though is delivered almost instantly from the electric motor, and although the ELR cannot be called ‘fast’, it does at least nip off the line without drama or fuss (and, again, silently). Press the right pedal a little harder though and the four-cylinder eventually gets a kick with the spurs and punches out some linear acceleration, although it’s a slightly more sombre and refined drive than the aggressive looks on the outside would have you believe.

The good news though is that thanks to a stiff chassis and a low centre of gravity, balance through the corners is surprisingly good, weight through the admittedly over-assisted electric steering at least offering some sense of feel through the turns that make up Palmetto Bluff’s gorgeous natural enclaves. Braking is surprisingly impressive too, the balance rarely being upset as you point the sharpened nose at an apex. Word to the wise though, when bringing the speed down – and in an effort to remain as fuel efficient as possible – the electric power steering seemingly loses all interest, the weight different proving pretty phenomenal. Don’t be surprised to feel the burn in your shoulders when you try a three-point turn.

So, it looks the nuts, boasts beautiful build quality, produces just over 200hp and it’s main party piece is the electric motor and extended 545km electric motor range. Take a close look, since you’re unlikely to see the Cadillac ELR in the Middle East any time soon.