Detroit, MI – General Motors is making its return to the French auto market after withdrawing all of its brands in 2015. The American automaker announced today that its luxury brand Cadillac will begin selling the new fully-electric Lyriq SUV in France starting in 2024.
The Lyriq marks Cadillac’s transition to becoming an all-electric brand and GM’s effort to gain a foothold in the growing European EV market. “France has historically been an important market for luxury vehicles and we believe the Lyriq will appeal to French customers looking for a locally-produced electric SUV,” said GM spokesperson Andrea Smallwood.
The Lyriq will be the first Cadillac model produced in Europe. GM plans to manufacture the electric SUV at its Deux-Ponts plant in northern France, which had previously produced Opel and Vauxhall models. This brings jobs back to the plant after it was forced to lay off nearly 2,000 workers when GM sold Opel-Vauxhall in 2017.
With a range of over 300 miles on a single charge, 33-inch advanced LED display, and hands-free driver assistance technology, the Lyriq aims to compete with the Audi e-tron, Mercedes EQC, and other luxury electric SUVs. Cadillac hopes its iconic brand appeal and technology can win over French consumers.
GM’s exit from Europe in 2015 was due to years of losses and stiff competition. But the move was criticized in France where Opel and Vauxhall had deep roots. GM hopes producing the Lyriq domestically will rebuild its reputation. The automaker also plans to introduce other electric Cadillac models in Europe over the next few years as part of its commitment to exclusively sell electric vehicles by 2030.
