- Revised electric drive system increases power and torque by more than 25 percent
- Enhanced handling, steering and braking
- OnStar with 4G LTE and standard built-in Wi-Fi hotspot
DETROIT – Cadillac today announced the ELR electrified luxury coupe will offer a host of upgrades for the 2016 model year, including boosts in acceleration, driving performance and connectivity.
Major product upgrades include a more than 25 percent boost in power and torque, faster acceleration that improves 0-60 mph by 1.5 seconds, higher top speed, retuned chassis and steering for better handling, more responsive brakes and a new Performance equipment package.
“ELR’s combination of leading technology with stunningly attractive design is unlike any other coupe in the luxury segment,” said Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen. “The upgraded ELR offers enhanced driving performance for buyers seeking uncompromising luxury and exquisite craftsmanship with electrification technology. It is unique in the luxury category, in that it completely eliminates conventional concerns over driving range, which has been the Achilles’ heel of other competitors in the luxury segment.”
Distinguished by a new grille and Cadillac’s new crest, the 2016 ELR, which features the first application of extended-range electric vehicle technology by a full-line luxury automotive brand, will start at $58,495 net pricing after U.S. federal tax credits.
The 2016 ELR’s steering and suspension upgrades include:
- Revised calibration of the HiPer Strut front suspension
- Increased front spring rates and a stiffer rear axle
- Stiffer bushings for the front lower control arms, cradle mounts and Watts link in the rear suspension, for more precise control with no loss of ride quality
- Revised calibrations for the Continuous Damping Control system
- Front Damper Rebound Spring added
- New steering calibration tuned to complement the revised chassis and suspension systems
- Revised brake hardware and system calibration for improved application feel.
A new optional Performance Package elevates the ELR’s driving experience further with greater handling and braking capability – and a more direct, linear feel for the driver. The ELR Performance Package includes:
- New 20-inch summer-only performance tires – mounted on new sport wheels – that improve lateral grip by nearly 10 percent
- Front Brembo four-piston brake calipers (with the Cadillac script), with 13.6-inch-diameter vented front rotors and 12.4-inch vented rear rotors that improve 60-to-0 mph stopping distance by nearly 12 percent
- Specific calibrations for the Continuous Damping Control and electric power steering systems
- Sport steering wheel with a thicker rim for a sportier feel.
ELR propulsion and drive technology
All 2016 ELRs contain software upgrades to the battery system improving power and acceleration, with EV range growing on the base model.
Additionally, the 2016 ELR has a modified Sport mode that enables the propulsion system to combine engine and electric motor power to take the ELR from 0-60 in 6.4 seconds, a 1.5 second improvement from the current model.
ELR continues to offer Regen on Demand, recipient of Green Car Journal’s 2014 Green Car Technology Award. Slightly enhanced for the 2016 model to improve deceleration, Regen on Demand allows the driver to temporarily regenerate energy from the ELR’s momentum into electricity and store in the battery pack for later use.
Regen on Demand supports a more engaging driving experience by slowing the vehicle when entering a turn to better position it on the exit, much like downshifting with a manual transmission. Regen on Demand is engaged via steering-wheel paddles adapted from traditional performance cars.
The ELR offers a full driving range of up to 330 miles (530 km), combining pure electric driving and an efficient, range-extending 1.4L gasoline-powered engine-generator. It’s a combination that means most daily commutes will require zero gasoline with zero tailpipe emissions. Longer trips are free from electric-vehicle range anxiety because the ELR’s technology enables the long-distance travel similar to vehicles powered only by gasoline.
The T-shaped battery pack is located along the centerline of the vehicle, between the front and rear wheels for optimal weight distribution. The 5.5-foot-long (1.6 m), 435-pound (198 kg) pack supplies energy to an advanced electric drive unit capable of 373 lb-ft of instant torque (506 Nm) to propel the vehicle.
Using only the energy stored in the battery, the ELR will deliver an estimated range of about 39 miles (60 km) of pure electric driving, depending on terrain, driving techniques and temperature. The optional Performance Package reduces EV range by about four miles as a result of the enhanced grip of the 20-inch summer-only tires.
ELR’s battery can be charged using either a 120- or 240-volt charger. The vehicle can be completely recharged in about five hours using 240V charging, depending on the outside temperature.
The ELR’s battery is covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty or 10 years/150,000 miles in states following Air Resource Board guidelines.
Personal technology
The 2016 ELR will be one of the industry’s most-connected vehicles, with new and enhanced features designed to extend technologies woven into nearly every facet of customers’ lives.
OnStar with 4G LTE and standard built-in Wi-Fi hotspot provides a mobile hub for drivers and passengers to stay connected. The hotspot is on whenever the vehicle is on and comes with a three-month/three-gigabyte data trial, whichever comes first.
4G LTE is the most current and fastest mobile data network and the Wi-Fi hotspot supports up to seven connected devices.
ELR drivers and passengers can also recharge their enabled phones wirelessly with a new magnetic inductive charge spot on the instrument panel. There is no need to plug the phone in for charging, leaving the ELR’s USB ports free for other devices.
Interior luxury and technology
For 2016, the Driver Assistance active safety systems, optional on the current ELR, are standard and include side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert and Intellibeam headlamps. Lane change alert and a new vehicle security system are also standard. Adaptive cruise control is available.
Additional interior features include:
- Cut-and-sew interior
- Available Semi-Aniline full leather seating
- Sueded microfiber headliner and supporting trim
- Eight-inch configurable instrument and driver information displays, offering four configurations ranging from elegantly simple to technologically detailed information
- Three USB ports
- Power-assist covered storage/cup holder in the center console
- Fold-down rear seatbacks to accommodate longer items such as skis and golf clubs
note: Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price excludes tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment. Includes dealer freight charges and option package discounts.
2016 CADILLAC ELR SPECIFICATIONS
Overview
Model: | Cadillac ELR |
Body style / driveline: | front-wheel-drive, two-door coupe extended-range electric vehicle |
Construction: | single body-frame-integral (unibody) with front and rear crumple zones; galvanized steel front fenders; roof, door panels; aluminum hood; one-piece bodyside outer panel; thermal plastic olefin (TPO) bumper fascias |
EPA vehicle class: | subcompact car |
Manufacturing location: | Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly, Hamtramck, Mich. |
Battery manufacturing location: | Brownstown Township, Mich. |
Battery System
Type: | rechargeable energy storage system comprising multiple linked modules |
Size/case: | 5.5-foot-long T-shaped; glass-filled polyester structural composite with aluminum thermal radiation shield and steel tray |
Mass (lb / kg): | 432.5 / 196.6 |
Battery chemistry: | lithium-ion |
Thermal system: | liquid active thermal control |
Cells: | 288 prismatic |
Combined electric/extended driving range (miles / km): | 330 / 530 (without Performance Package) |
Warranty: | eight years / 100,000 miles
10 years / 150,000 miles (Air Resource Board states) |
Energy: | 17.1-kWh |
Onboard Gas-Powered Electric Generator
Type: | 1.4L DOHC I-4 |
Displacement (cu in / cc): | 85.3 / 1398 |
Bore & stroke (in / mm): | 2.89 x 3.25 / 73.4 x 82.6 |
Block material: | cast iron |
Cylinder head material: | cast aluminum |
Valvetrain: | overhead camshafts; four valves per cylinder, continuously variable intake and exhaust cam phaser |
Ignition system: | Individual coil-on-plug – cassette type |
Fuel delivery: | sequential multi-port fuel injectors with electronic throttle control |
Compression ratio: | 10.5:1 |
Output (kW / hp @ rpm): | 63 / 84 @ 4800 |
Max engine speed (rpm): | 4800 |
Emissions controls: | close-coupled catalytic converters; 58x ignition system; returnless fuel rail; fast light-off O2 sensor |
Fuel type: | premium required |
GM preliminary estimated fuel economy: | 31 combined (gas)
85 MPGe (EV mode) |
Electric Drive
Type: | electric, two-wheel, front-drive |
Motors (two): | 160 kW in tour (EV) mode; 174 kW Sport mode max drive power; 55 kW generating power |
Transaxle: | electric drive system |
Power (kW): | 174/233 (total system power) |
Torque: (lb-ft / Nm): | 373/506 |
Charging Times
120 V (travel charger): | 13 – 18.5 hours (depending on charge level and outside temperature) |
240 V (charging station): | about five hours (depending on outside temperature) |
Performance
0-60 mph: | 6.4 sec. – Sport mode (approx.) |
Top speed (mph): | 106 (all modes)/ 130 (Sport and Hold modes with Performance Package |
EV range (combined city / hwy): | 39 miles / 63 km |
EV / Extended range: | 330 miles / 530 km (EV on fully charged battery and full tank of fuel – without Performance Package) |
Chassis /Suspension
Front: | HiPer Strut with continuously variable real-time damping and driver-selectable modes, specially tuned coil springs with side load compensation, direct-acting hollow stabilizer bar, hydraulic ride bushings |
Rear: | specially adapted compound crank with Watts link; double-walled, U-shaped profile at the rear; specifically tuned coil springs, hydraulic bushings; shocks with continuously variable real-time damping and driver-selectable modes |
Chassis control: | four-channel ABS; all-speed traction control; StabiliTrak |
Steering type: | rack-mounted electric power steering with ZF steering gear |
Steering wheel turns, lock-to-lock: | 2.5 |
Turning circle, curb-to-curb (ft / m): | 38.4 / 11.7 |
Steering ratio: | 15.36 |
Brakes
Type: | power four-wheel disc with ABS; electro-hydraulic; fully regenerative to maximize energy capture; dynamic rear brake proportioning |
Brake rotor diameter front (in / mm): | 12.6 / 321; vented, with one-piston calipers (standard)
13.6/345; vented, with four-piston calipers (Performance Package) |
Brake rotor diameter rear (in / mm): | 11.5 / 292; solid; with single-piston calipers (standard)
12.4/315; vented; with single-piston calipers (Performance Package) |
Total swept area (sq cm): | front: 523 (standard) / 352 (Performance Package)
rear: 325 (standard) / 336 (Performance Package) |
Wheels / Tires
Wheel size and type: | 20 x 8.5-inch cast aluminum |
Tires: | 245/40R20 all-season (standard – NA only)
245/40ZR20 XL summer performance (Performance Package) |
Dimensions
Exterior
Wheelbase (in / mm): | 106.1 / 2695 |
Overall length (in / mm): | 186 / 4724 |
Overall width (in / mm): | 72.7 / 1847 |
Track width front (in / mm): | 62.1 / 1578 |
Track width rear (in / mm): | 62.4 / 1585 |
Height (in / mm): | 55.9 / 1420 |
Interior
Seating capacity (front / rear): | 2 / 2 |
EPA passenger volume
(cu ft / L): |
83.4 / 2361 |
Headroom (in / mm): | front: 36.9 / 938
rear: 34.7 / 882 |
Shoulder room (in / mm): | front: 55.2 / 1403
rear: 49.9 / 1268 |
Hip room (in / mm): | front: 52.9 / 1344
rear: 48.6 / 1234 |
Legroom (in / mm): | front: 42.2 / 1071
rear: 33.6 / 853 |
Cargo volume (cu ft / L): | 10.5 / 297 (est.) |
Capacities
Curb weight (lb / kg); | 4065 / 1844 |
Generator cooling (qt / L): | 7.7 / 7.3 |
Battery pack cooling (qt / L): | 6.4 / 6.0 |
Power electronics cooling
(qt / L): |
3 / 2.8 |
Fuel tank (gal / L): | 9.3 / 35.2 |
Engine oil w/ filter (qt / L): | 3.7 / 3.5 |
Drive unit fluid (qt / L): | 8.93 / 8.45 |