Automotive Engineering - August 2024 - 18

ROAD READY
2025 Cadillac Optiq EV
arrives with standard
dual motors
The Ineos Quartermaster loaded up
for off-road and overlanding duty.
Continuing its rollout of EVs, Cadillac
revealed the 2025 Optiq SUV, the company's
most affordable EV yet and a
smaller sibling to the popular Lyriq that
was introduced last year.
With a company-estimated range of
300 miles (482 km), the Optiq comes
standard with dual-motor AWD, three
years of Super Cruise hands-free driving,
and what Cadillac officials say is
segment-best cargo capacity and second-row
space.
The Optiq's wheelbase is 116 inches
(2,954 mm), six inches (152.4 mm)
shorter than the Lyriq, the next size up
in the EV lineup. Overall, the Optiq is
190 inches (4,820 mm) long, 84 inches
(2,126 mm) wide, including mirrors, and
65 inches (1,644 mm) tall.
The shorter wheelbase and the
300hp (224 kW) combined power of
the dual motors that generate 354 lb-ft
(480 Nm), make what Optiq chief engineer
John Cockburn called a " spirited
driving experience " at a pre-reveal
briefing attended by SAE Media.
Supporting that claim (media will get
The new Ineos Grenadier has a retro vibe to match the powertrain that uses a BMW 3.0-L turbo
inline-six engine.
for lights, winches, or whatever else an
owner wants to install and power on the
vehicles. Again, these are all controlled
by large buttons. Besides the aesthetic
appeal, there's value for those who live
in colder climates as these can be operated
while wearing heavy gloves.
While Ineos is a bit of an outlier
bringing an ICE vehicle to market while
other startups are going all-in on EVs,
there is electrification in its future. The
Fusilier is slated to land in 2027 as a
BEV or a series hybrid. Ineos has been
18 August 2024
mum on most of the details about the
vehicle, but it'll be interesting to see if
the interior continues with the automaker's
analog-centric aesthetic.
When asked about the electric future,
Clark said he was confused by some of the
hatred directed towards the powertrain
and said that electrification is inevitable.
Of course, for Ineos, the future is wrapped
in nostalgia and purpose-built vehicles
powered by both gasoline and electrons
that are ready to tackle terrain with ease.
Roberto Baldwin
a chance to drive the Optiq before production
begins in the fall) is a suspension
comprising coilover struts at the front
and a five-link rear with Passive Plus
dampers, which have the self-adjusting
valve system also seen on the Lyriq.
Seventeen-inch (432 mm) disc brakes
provide the stopping power on either
standard 20-inch (508 mm) or optional
21-inch (533 mm) wheels fitted with lowprofile,
low-rolling-resistance tires.
Cockburn said the Ultium battery and
its enclosure help give the Optiq " fantastic
torsional rigidity. "
Cockburn has a background that includes
many GM performance models,
including the Chevy Corvette, CTS-V
Blackwing and the Escalade-V. He said
Optiq's unique look stayed relatively
unchanged from concept sketches
through the engineering process " because
engineers knew retaining distinctive
traits was important. "
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
FROM TOP: ROBERTO BALDWIN; INEOS

Automotive Engineering - August 2024

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