The Cadillac ELR: Tesla Fighter or Fancy Volt?

As the automotive world shifts towards more eco-friendly vehicles, many drivers are not willing to sacrifice luxury to make the change. With Cadillac’s most recent planned production vehicle, the ELR, a sacrifice may no longer be necessary.

I originally caught a glimpse of the Cadillac “Converj” concept at the Toronto International Auto Show.

One thing you may not have noticed (I hadn’t noticed until the Cadillac representative pointed it out) is that the car has no mirrors. Why? Because the entire 360 degrees of the car is visible from a screen mounted in the dashboard. I have to hand it to Cadillac – they are innovators.

I'll admit, I like the face on this one.

The resemblance of the electric Caddy to the CTS-V gave me hope that GM would be one of the first major production companies to mass produce an electric performance car. Recent word from an undisclosed source working with Cadillac states that the ELR’s price will be just beneath the Tesla Roadster, an electric performance icon.

On the other hand, I have gathered that the ELR will be powered by the same lithium-ion electric motor and tiny engine combination found in the Chevrolet Volt. The Volt didn’t exactly make a splash into the automotive world. However, this platform could always evolve. The CTS didn’t exactly start out as a performer either, but today the CTS-V is one of my favourites.

It LOOKS fast, right?

I guess we will have to wait until the ELR reaches production, but I expect to hear more details about this car as the production date gets closer. It is important to remember that performance is rarely a top priority for an electric car.

For now, I’m keeping my expectations low. No offense, GM.