Prepare for EVs, Cadillac Tells Dealers Ahead of Crossover Debut

A Cadillac crossover that heralds a slew of other electric models will make its public debut in April, Cadillac executives told dealers on Monday. The meet-up, reported by Automotive News, comes as General Motors readies a surge of EVs over the next few years. Cadillac will play a major role in that product transition.

Per that same meeting, Cadillac’s dealer council has created a subcommittee made up of dealers and brand execs to help smooth the entry of gas-free product.

It seems inevitable that the unnamed Cadillac EV — a midsize crossover riding atop a dedicated electric platform — will show its face at the New York auto show, which opens its doors to the public on April 10th. The brand first revealed the upcoming vehicle via images shown at last year’s Detroit show.

With Cadillac spearheading GM’s EV ramp-up, dealers need to prepare. The subcommittee of three dealers and three execs will “study what electric vehicles are going to do to our operations now because they are coming quicker rather than later,” said dealer council chairman David Butler.

In December, GM’s electrification boss said the first Caddy EV would reach customers in a little over a year, pointing to a Q1 2021 on-sale date. More will follow, as GM expects to field 20 fully electric models by 2023, with Cadillac playing a large role. Still, the brand has only just filled the wide gaps in its conventional lineup with models like the XT4 and XT6.

The two crops will each require nurturing, Cadillac President Steve Carlisle told AN.

“The big-picture message [to dealers] is let’s embrace the opportunity with the current portfolio,” Carlisle said. “We enter this decade as an internal combustion engine brand. We want to position ourselves to exit as a battery-electric brand, so we have to manage both at the same time.”

How exactly Cadillac plans to do that remains unsaid, but when it comes to electric vehicles, knowledge is key. Information relating to charging solutions and the specific features of the looming crossover model will need to be hammered into dealers so that customers will feel at ease. For the vast majority of buyers, this will be their first EV. Mystery may be enticing on screen, but certainly doesn’t belong in a dealership.

There’s also a pressing need for Cadillac shops to install potent recharging points.

[Image: General Motors]