Cadillac Escalade IQ to be unwrapped this year

Cadillac will reveal an electric version of the Escalade SUV this year to be called the Escalade IQ.

The IQ name, which Cadillac confirmed Monday, dates to 2021, when General Motors applied to trademark it. Automotive News has reported that the Escalade IQ is expected in 2024 and may be built at GM's Factory Zero plant in Detroit.

Also Monday, a photographer released spy images of what is believed to be the Escalade IQ under heavy wraps. The large SUV appears to share some design features with the upcoming Celestiq ultraluxury sedan, including its wheel design and what looks to be an interior display screen that stretches across the dashboard.

The spy photos show the vehicle has an eight-lug wheel design, similar to the GMC Hummer EV pickup and SUV.

A Cadillac spokesperson declined to comment on the images but said in an email that "Cadillac will reveal several new products this year and the early part of 2024.  Our global engineering teams are in the midst of testing and developing those vehicles to ensure we meet the demands of our customers."

GM has also trademarked the name Escalade IQL, which Automotive News has reported will adorn an electric version of the longer Escalade ESV expected in 2025. Cadillac declined to provide additional details about the Escalade IQ or confirm whether the name also will apply to a longer version of the SUV.

Cadillac said the Escalade IQ "promises the same commitment to craftsmanship, technology and performance that has helped the Escalade nameplate dominate the large luxury SUV segment for the last 20 years."

The Escalade was Cadillac's top-selling U.S. model in the first quarter, and in 2022 and 2021, when the brand prioritized more profitable vehicles amid the microchip shortage.

The IQ badge follows Cadillac's naming pattern for its electric vehicles, all of which end with -iq. The Escalade IQ follows the Lyriq midsize electric crossover, which is on sale now, and the Celestiq, which will enter production in December. The Celestiq will be hand built at GM's Global Technical Center in Warren, Mich., and start in the $300,000s.

Rory Harvey, vice president of global Cadillac and GM's incoming president of North America, has said Cadillac would reveal three EVs this year that should start production in 2024. The Escalade IQ is the first of those three to be identified.

Cadillac is preparing for an all-electric lineup in North America by 2030.