GM launches Lyriq BEV in Germany

Detroit legacy brand Cadillac has launched its Lyriq e-SUV in Germany, as part of parent OEM GM's ongoing European expansion plan.

Germany becomes the fourth country to see the launch of the Lyriq, following Switzerland, Sweden, and France. GM's renewed European operation began in October last year, after the automaker initially departed the continent's market in 2017.

"Coming fast in June we will start in Koeln. Frankfurt and Hamburg will be coming later on this year," says GM Europe chief commercial officer Pere Brugal.

Brugal's mention of specific cities suggests that, like its lanuch in Switzerland, GM will have a handful of showroom locations to promote the Cadillac brand, with which few European consumers are familiar in terms of ownership even if brand recognition itself should be less of an issue. Beyond this, though, the company will rely on online direct-to-consumer sales.

Pricing for the Lyriq starts at $80,500, putting the e-SUV in rarefied air in terms of prices in the European market.

While GM Europe's leadership has repeatedly cited Tesla as primary competition, this price point of nearly double Tesla's Model Y means that the Lyriq is aiming to capture a significantly different category of consumer. Brugal calls the Cadillac brand "a cultural icon of American luxury".

The firm is banking heavily on what it considers to be the brand's distinctive styling to set it apart from other e-SUVs, now the largest segment in the European EV market. Indeed, Cadillac's German sales website calls the Lyriq "an attention-grabbing vision with sharp lines and striking details".

The Lyriq is manufactured in Tennessee on GM's much-maligned Ultium platform, and the firm has been clear that its European business will remain an export strategy. GM says that new Ultium EVs will follow in Europe, but has given no further details.