CADILLAC CELESTIQ ESTABLISHES NEW STANDARD OF AUTOMOTIVE LUXURY
>> The most technologically advanced Cadillac ever is designed to be the world’s first all-electric ultra-luxury sedan utilizing innovative technology in the service of personalized, handcrafted artistry.
Cadillac has drawn from every era and element of its rich heritage to deliver the most advanced, most luxurious and one of the most important vehicles the brand has ever produced.
The Cadillac CELESTIQ is a handcrafted, all-electric, ultra-luxury flagship that reestablishes the iconic brand as the Standard of the World, while serving as the flagship for the brand’s electric future.
“CELESTIQ is the purest expression of Cadillac, acknowledging our incredible history and driving us to a bolder and brighter future,” said Global Vice President of Cadillac Rory Harvey. “It is a completely bespoke work of automotive art, built around the most advanced and innovative technology that we have ever engineered into an automobile.”
The CELESTIQ story is built on legacy, with its design, cutting-edge technology, and personalized luxury rooted in Cadillac’s history of building handcrafted, iconic vehicles such as the 1933 V16 Aerodynamic Coupe and the 1957 Eldorado Brougham.
Each CELESTIQ is personally commissioned — no two will be alike. Clients will work directly with their selected dealer and Cadillac designers to realize their unique vision for the car, with unprecedented levels of personalization tailored to reflect the owner’s tastes.
This unique and individualized experience is augmented by Cadillac’s global leadership in electrification, available hands-free driver assistance technology and connected services. CELESTIQ sets the benchmark for handcrafted, multisensory and immersive EV luxury experiences.
“CELESTIQ is like no Cadillac before it and the client experience is equally exceptional,” said Harvey. “Each vehicle is a unique expression of its owner, leveraging leading-edge technologies that make the driving experience personal and rewarding.”
ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE
To create the most unique and expressive Cadillac ever, the CELESTIQ team rethought everything, resulting in the most technologically advanced vehicle in the brand’s history. This technological innovation enables CELESTIQ to be the ultimate expression of ultra-luxury and client customization.
CELESTIQ and Ultium
CELESTIQ channels the power of the revolutionary Ultium Platform, which is the foundation for CELESTIQ’s exhilarating performance and range. This dedicated EV propulsion architecture combines a 111-kWh battery pack and a two-motor, all-wheel-drive propulsion system to offer a GM-estimated 600 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque — and a GM-estimated driving range of 300 miles (483 km) on a full charge.
Unique among Ultium-based EVs are CELESTIQ’s 11.59:1 front and 11.63:1 rear gear ratios, which were specially calibrated to optimize range and performance. In addition to the impressive horsepower and torque, the vehicle is also projected to deliver one of the quickest 0-60-mph accelerations in the segment of 3.8 seconds.
The Ultium Platform also serves as a structural element of the vehicle, contributing to its overall strength and feeling of solidity, in addition to its performance. The CELESTIQ’s battery cells are mounted horizontally, enabling the vehicle’s long, low and lean proportions, while the low mounting position of the pack drops the vehicle’s center of gravity, enhancing handling and ride comfort, as well as maximizing interior spaciousness.
Regen on Demand Braking is standard and helps maximize driving range by converting the kinetic energy of the vehicle’s forward momentum into electricity that’s stored in the battery pack. It also includes One-Pedal Driving, which can slow the vehicle to a complete stop using only the accelerator pedal, for very fine vehicle control.
“CELESTIQ continues the 120-year Cadillac history of leveraging the most advanced automotive technology in the service of luxury. The innovations CELESTIQ uses to offer its sophisticated ride isolation are the pinnacle of Cadillac automotive achievement,” said Ken Althouse, CELESTIQ lead development engineer.
Charging
When it comes to charging, Cadillac is committed to creating a seamless experience for clients, whether at home or on the road. When looking to charge quickly, CELESTIQ is equipped with a 200 kW DC fast charging system capable of adding up to a Cadillac-estimated 78 miles of range in only 10 minutes of charging4 at a public DC fast charging station.
CELESTIQ clients will also have access to Ultium Charge 360, a holistic approach to EV charging that’s designed to simplify the overall charging experience. It includes access to more than 110,000 publicly available charging points in the United States and Canada. And through the myCadillac Mobile app5, clients can find nearby charging stations, see real-time charger availability, plan routes, start charging sessions and more.
All told, CELESTIQ includes approximately 300 approved and pending patented technologies and processes, including innovation in hands-free driver assistance features, safety features, electrified propulsion systems, connected technologies and many advances found throughout the Ultium Platform.
CELESTIQ Body Structure
In creating one of the most important Cadillacs ever, the CELESTIQ engineering team rethought the fundamental building blocks to not only accommodate its all-electric propulsion system but provide a platform for the ultimate expression of ultra-luxury and unmatched client customization, enabled by advanced manufacturing techniques.
Achieving that required an all-new architecture dedicated exclusively to CELESTIQ. It is based on the Ultium Platform, which integrates the propulsion system’s battery pack and serves as a structural element of the vehicle, contributing to its overall strength, durability and performance.
Mega Castings: The CELESTIQ underbody includes six large precision sand-cast aluminum components. Each casting reduces part count by 30 to 40 components, compared to typical stamped construction. The benefits being more efficient use of space, simplicity and improved structural rigidity. The CELESTIQ precision sand-casted content and processes are ideal for low volume, handcrafted, bespoke vehicles.
Additive Manufacturing: With 115 3D printed parts in the production vehicle, the CELESTIQ demonstrates GM’s broadest use of this process.
> The steering wheel center is the largest metal part GM has printed in production, combining the show surface and the structural B-side of the part, while the seat belt adjustable guide loop is GM’s first safety-related 3D printed part.
> Other 3D printed parts include: window switches, grab handles, console decor and structural pieces under the vehicle’s surface.
Flex Fabrication: Each CELESTIQ vehicle will feature over 300 fabricated pieces throughout the body structure, chassis, interior and electrical components. This “Flex Fabrication” process utilizes metal sheets that can be folded and manipulated into the unique shapes required for the CELESTIQ design — a process more akin to metallic origami than traditional stamping.
The CELESTIQ architecture also incorporates a unique 48-volt electrical system that’s driven by a digital electrical architecture of its own, which supports the vehicle’s advanced technologies and features. More than 30 virtual controls accommodate the vehicle’s high levels of seat and climate customization without the need for traditional buttons and switches.
Exterior Design: Embracing the Avant-Garde
The silhouette of CELESTIQ is immediately striking. It is a bold, fastback profile, challenging the ultra-luxury space with the spirit of futurism and the avant-garde. The boldness of the grille and the vertical lighting signatures flow seamlessly into the sloping windshield, creating a harmony of surfaces. CELESTIQ breathes ultra-luxury, but with an edge, a sense of modernity unlike anything else in its segment.
“It’s a progressive vision of Cadillac exterior design language that breaks from the norm of the ultra-luxury paradigms,” said Taki Karras, exterior design manager, CELESTIQ. “Every element and every surface was pushed to the next level with meticulous detailing, delivering a visionary design that is unique and breathtaking.”
Every metal surface seen on the exterior of the vehicle is real metal — including an aluminum grille, brushed aluminum bodyside, aluminum eTrunk™ lining, rocker, taillamp and headlamp trim, and brushed metal liftgate body openings.
The aluminum grille and Goddess in the fender is milled into cast aluminum, then the piece is machine-polished, brushed and tinted. The Goddess trim also features a unique crystal element to house premium LED lighting elements.
CELESTIQ’s full exterior embodies thoughtful details for an ultra-luxury experience.
To embody the avant-garde, futuristic vision the CELESTIQ silhouette evokes, the vehicle features several innovative technologies including:
Fixed Smart Glass Roof: In an industry-first feature, Suspended Particle Device Technology, multi-color ambient lighting, and lighting choreography create a unique interplay between the exterior and the amount of light allowed into the cabin through the four-zone Fixed Smart Glass Roof.
Automated Illuminated Charging Indicators: The charge port is surrounded by a ring of light that responds when the CELESTIQ is plugged in for charging. Visual cues indicate the state of charge, including a lit Goddess emblem above the charge port — a visual representation of how electrification is the soul of CELESTIQ and Cadillac. Additionally, the vehicle’s vertical lighting signatures in the headlamps and taillamps offer charging status indicators, indicating 10% charging increments.
Materials: Carbon fiber comprises several areas of the exterior, this material choice enables the designers to create distinctive forms not possible with traditional metal body panels. The visible metallic surfaces are authentic metal, including the aluminum grille, header, rocker, taillamp and headlamp trim, brushed aluminum bodyside trim, aluminum eTrunk™ lining, and brushed metal liftgate body openings.
3D Printing: The use of 3D printing and additive manufacturing is cutting-edge technology that produces several important CELESTIQ design elements, such as the steering wheel décor, which would be impossible to create with typical metal castings and CNC milling.
Exterior Lighting: Every single point of light in a CELESTIQ lighting animation is its own light source rather than the banks of lights used in many other vehicles. These individual LEDs — more than 1,600 per vehicle (depending on the sales market) — create a richer, deeper lighting experience. The choreography is accented by the Cadillac-first Digital Micromirror Device headlamps with 1.3 million pixels per side.
Lighting Choreography: The exterior lighting choreography begins when the client is approximately 15 feet away from the CELESTIQ and it detects the client’s key fob. The vehicle welcomes the client by illuminating the front Cadillac Crest, before light cascades from the middle of the black crystal shield grille to the headlamps, creating the impression the vehicle is powering up and preparing for the journey.
Power Open and Close Doors: There are no exterior door handles, for a cleaner, more aerodynamic appearance. Instead, the client can power open and close the doors easily with the press of a button.
Wheel Choices: Carefully proportioned to fit its frame and proportions, the 23-inch wheels offered on CELESTIQ are available in almost countless color choices. All are matched with Michelin tires in which the sidewall is adorned with the Cadillac Precision pattern to inform the client that the tire was designed specifically for CELESTIQ.
Interior Design: A New Standard of Ultra-Luxury
The CELESTIQ interior is where Cadillac’s Art of Travel design philosophy is fully realized, the craftsmanship is evident the moment a client enters in the cabin, the sensory experience is ignited through the use of authentic materials and indulgent details. The client-selected hand-wrapped materials, immersive interior lighting, and embellishments embody Cadillac’s vision for exclusivity and customization.
“With CELESTIQ, we’ve been able to push classic American luxury into a new modern space,” said Tristan Murphy, interior design manager, CELESTIQ. “Executed with exceptional craftmanship, there is a staggering variety of colors, trims and genuine materials that ensure no two vehicles will ever be alike.”
With a clean, minimalist aesthetic, the cabin of the interior acts as a pure showcase for all the different materials and color options. “The interior is defined by long uninterrupted surfaces and theme lines, the sense of movement is all around you. With such a clean design, it allowed the details to shine, emphasizing precision in even the smallest of areas, truly highlighting a sense of space and scale,” said Murphy.
TECHNOLOGY AND UNPRECEDENTED INNOVATION
CELESTIQ is distinguished by artfully integrated technologies that exhilarate upon first impression and become indispensable elements of every driving experience.
Infotainment Experience
The centerpiece of the interior and the CELESTIQ technology interface is a pillar-to-pillar, 55-inch-diagonal advanced HD display — the largest in the segment. It is a technological marvel, containing two separate screens under a single pane of glass. The driver-side display — with pixel density comparable to an 8K screen — shows driver and shared vehicle information, while the passenger side allows the occupants to play media, use the internet capability, connect their smartphones, and more. In order to separate the passenger display from the driver, Digital Blinds Active Privacy technology provides a virtual privacy shield, dimming the passenger screen from the driver’s view when in use.
Additionally:
> The expansive, 55-inch-diagonal advanced HD screen is one of five high-definition displays in the vehicle, including a front console mounted 11-inch-diagonal touchscreen Front Command Center and a rear console mounted 8-inch-diagonal touchscreen Rear Command Center, which allow clients to control many features within the vehicle such as the seating positions, cabin temperature, door opening and closing, tinting the all-glass roof panel and more.
> Rear passengers have their own 12.6-inch-diagonal advanced displays in front of them, mounted on the front seatbacks.
> A crystal multi-functional controller directs the primary screen and is the crown jewel of the front center console, offering intuitive control of the infotainment system and other features. The exquisitely detailed dial is composed of fine metal and glass, and it houses the Cadillac Goddess emblem.
Connected Cameras: Starting with CELESTIQ, Cadillac will introduce a new connected camera platform. This platform will provide clients added peace of mind by giving them access to interior and exterior cameras through an intuitive mobile interface along with theft detection, crash recording and other useful features.
Google Built-In6: Google built-in is a helpful, personalized and seamless way to enhance your in-vehicle experience. With Google Assistant, Google Maps, and Google Play you get access to hands-free help, live traffic updates, some of your favorite apps and more.
Fixed Smart Glass Roof: The all-glass roof panel, the largest in the industry, employs Suspended Particle Device technology to allow variable transmission, meaning the client can control the amount of light allowed into the vehicle in four zones — one for each passenger area. A feature unique to CELESTIQ. The effect enables ultimate control over the amount of light entering the vehicle. The tint levels for the zones vary from less than 1%, for the darkest level of opacity, to 20%, which is the standard tint level of a traditional sunroof. It is also treated with infrared reflective and low-emissivity coatings that help retain heat and prevent sunlight from raising the cabin’s temperature.
