Cadillac’s Elevated Velocity is a Radical On and Off-Road Performance Concept

Date:2025-08-15 00:34:03 Category:tech Views:2 Comment:0

Cadillac’s Elevated Velocity is a Radical On and Off-Road Performance Concept originally appeared on Autoblog.

Set to make its debut during Monterey Car Week, Cadillac’s latest show car is a high-performance 2+2 meant to raise the bar for battery-electric vehicles. Quite literally. It’s an EV you could show off at the country club, then take it out on the Dakar Rally or an Extreme-E race, said Bryan Nesbitt, the global vice president of design at General Motors.

Like the earlier Cadillac Opulent Velocity concept, the new, gullwinged show car is long and wide, but stands significantly higher, with an air suspension designed to handle just about anything you could throw at it, added Brandon Vivian, the project’s executive chief engineer. And it’s got V-Series power which “hint(s) at the future of Cadillac performance,” he said during a media backgrounder.

Elevated Velocity is loaded with the latest technology – including a “Sand Vision” system that can help you see through a desert sandstorm, as well as the gloom of night. Meanwhile, the concept vehicle features next-generation autonomous driving and a biometric sensing system that can help occupants slip into a relaxed state of Zen.

Cadillac Plugged In

Cadillac currently offers five different battery-electric vehicles, from the entry-luxury Optiq to the EV version of its flagship SUV, the Escalade IQ. Elevated Velocity could take the hand-built Caddy Celestiq to new extremes, however.

There are some familiar design cues, including the concept’s vertical lighting and the crossover’s long front end. But the more coupe-like roofline and seamless nose “serves as a beacon for us,” said Nesbitt, exploring what he suggests will be the next iteration of Cadillac design, dubbed the “Art of Exhilaration.”.

The concept’s 24-inch tires and that air suspension, the automaker explains, “enables occupants to chart the most challenging terrains, while providing a refined and luxurious on-road driving experience.”

2+2+More

Officially, Cadillac calls the Elevated Velocity Concept a 2+2. But there’s far more interior space than you’d find in a classic sports car or grand tourer thanks to the use of a skateboard-like platform placing key drivetrain components below the load floor.

The gullwing doors swing wide, making it easy for occupants to get in and out, whether in the front row or back. The cabin has a decidedly futuristic feel with thin, sculpted seats that might have been inspired by a Hollywood sci-fi adventure. The cabin is finished in various shades of red and features a mix of natural and sustainable materials, including a 3D-printed black crystal. The cargo compartment is fitted with a set of bespoke luggage, including one case carrying a handy outfit for desert polo.

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The instrument panel is elegant yet spartan. Key instrumentation can be found in the center of the yoke-like steering wheel, and on a display built into the floating center console. That yoke, as well as the pedals, retract when the concept EV is switched to autonomous mode.

Elevate Mode

Whether driven in the desert or a rain forest, the “extreme climatization” system filters out sand, dust and smog while compensating for dry air, sudden temperature shifts and altitude changes, Cadillac explains.

There are a variety of mode settings the driver can select, including the electric version of the high-performance V-Mode found in today’s Caddy V-Series products. Elevate Mode, meanwhile, activates a next-generation autonomous driving system which, unlike today’s GM Super Cruise, allows the driver to completely disengage.

As the steering wheel and pedals retract, the vehicle’s biometric sensors start tracking the driver’s pulse, breathing and body temperature. Ambient lighting is automatically switched to red while the seatback activates infrared therapy lighting. “Doors are backlit to synchronize breathing and movement, furthering the emphasis on recovery.,” notes a news release, while “a light moves forward and rearwards to aid in breathwork in conjunction with an animation displayed on the cowl to help the occupants get into the headspace for performance.”

Drivetrain

Cadillac isn’t ready to talk about the underlying drivetrain in the Elevated Velocity Concept, but we can take some cues from what we’re seeing with the brand’s new Lyriq-V, the first all-electric V-Series package. Its twin motors produce a combined 615 horsepower and 680 pound-feet of torque, the V package can launch from 0-60 in a mere 3.3 seconds, making it the fastest stree-legal model in Cadillac history.

If that’s not enough, the all-electric GMC Hummer can deliver as much as 1,160 horsepower and an astounding 13,000 pound-feet of torque. Caddy might also borrow Hummer EV’s “crab walk,” and the Escalade EV’s four-wheel-steering.

Plans for the Future

“This is a real, running vehicle,” Nesbitt told a handful of journalists during a virtual briefing last week. But, like the Opulent Velocity Concept that debuted a year ago, there are no plans to put the new show car into production. But don’t think of it as just a fantasy in chrome, the design chief stressed. “This is an opportunity for Cadillac to test the waters – to see how far we can take electrification and performance -- and encourage feedback” that could influence future products. Look for the Cadillac Elevated Velocity Concept to make its debut on Saturday, August 15 at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering in Monterey, California.