Cadillac heard you like fast cars and skipping gas stations, and so it’s bringing the 2026 Lyriq-V to join the swift EV party. Boasting very nearly as much power as a CT5-V Blackwing — and actually expected to best it by a tenth of a second in the 0-60 mph run — the newest version of the all-electric SUV promises to be another nail in the “but EVs are so boring” argument.
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Though it got off to a rocky start, the Lyriq is now Cadillac’s top model for sales volume, with over 28,000 sold in 2024 alone. It is, the automaker claims, the most popular luxury EV in the U.S. market — boasting a 76% conquest rate, bringing in drivers from other brands. If that success sounds familiar, it’s because Cadillac has previously said the same thing about its V-Series cars, with performance variants also helping win over new clientele (and, perhaps just as important, younger drivers, too).
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Now, the 2026 Lyriq-V is combining those two strategies. When it lands at dealers in mid-2025, priced from $79,990 (plus destination), it’ll be the first all-electric V-Series and the top of the performance tree for Cadillac’s growing EV lineup.
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Not a Blackwing, but faster than one
What the 2026 Lyriq-V isn’t, though, is Cadillac’s first electric Blackwing. For some time now, the automaker has split its performance vehicles into two tiers: The comparatively mainstream V-Series for those wanting a spicier version of the standard cars, and the Blackwing flagships with track-proven credibility — even if it’s unclear just how many owners actually brave said-track.
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The Lyriq-V slots into the V-Series, though that doesn’t mean its speed credentials are lacking. Switch to V-Mode or Velocity Max mode, and an estimated 3.3-second run in the 0-60 mph dash makes it Cadillac’s quickest car. The automaker is taking full advantage of the estimated 615 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque that its tweaked dual-motor drivetrain supplies.
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When straight line speed meets the first turn, Cadillac has high hopes for the Lyriq-V’s standard 5-link independent suspension with continuous damping control. It’s not the track-friendly Magnetic Ride we’ve seen in the CT5-V Blackwing, mind — instead being a valve-based system. The sportier EV has a slightly lowered ride height, and the ratio for the continuously-variable electric power steering is quicker, too. There’s a Competitive Mode that Cadillac says will help driver’s reach the limits of the EV’s “lateral capabilities” — think sideways — and is probably best saved for closed courses.
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Big performance, subtle styling upgrades
While the Lyriq-V will still tap regenerative braking for slowing, Cadillac has also upgraded the physical anchors. There are now Brembo front performance brakes clamping down on 15.35-inch rotors (up from the 12.6-inches of the standard Lyriq); the 13.6-inch rear rotors aren’t changed in size, and are paired with rear sliding calipers. The standard 22-inch wheels are shod in 275/40R22 low-profile Continental summer tires as standard, though all-season rubber will be an option.
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The new dark-finish wheels will have subtle, laser-edged V-Series logos, as will the new front brake calipers — finished in red or blue — as part of a fairly restrained style makeover. There’s a new lower front fascia with a custom chin spoiler and V-pattern mesh, along with unique side rockers, body-color lower trim, and a standard black roof. A new Magnus Metal Frost paint — a handsome, matte-style silver — will be optional, as will carbon fiber exterior trim.
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There are compromises to be made, nonetheless. The Lyriq-V keeps the 102 kWh battery of its more humble brethren, but here Cadillac expects it to manage 285 miles on a full charge. That’s 32 miles less than the standard Lyriq Dual Motor AWD, though the 3,500 pound tow rating remains the same.
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Super Cruise to take you to the track in luxury
Inside, the 2026 Lyriq-V keeps the broad, 33-inch LED display from the regular EV, adding special graphics — though not the performance data recorder with lap timing, as in recent Blackwing cars. It also gets the panoramic glass roof as standard, plus the 23-speaker AKD Studio sound system: That’ll use its Dolby Atmos support to pipe a new-for-V “signature sound” into the cabin.
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You’ll be able to turn that off — Cadillac calls it a “Stealth mode” — or choose the regular Lyriq’s Tour and Sport audio, but Caddy’s sound engineers are hopeful the new audio will be well-received. Multi-layered, and including elements borrowed from the automaker’s LMDh race cars, it’ll apparently shift around the cabin dynamically, according to how the EV is being driven.
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Unique V-Series sport seats are trimmed in Nappa leather with optional V-pattern detailing, and there are illuminated sill plates, a custom steering wheel with driver-customizable V-Mode button, and paperwood trim as standard. Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free highway driver assistance, will also be standard, along with a new dual-plane head-up display that can overlay more information further out in the driver’s field-of-view.
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Cadillac will begin production of the 2026 Lyriq-V early this year, at the same Spring Hill Manufacturing plant in Tennessee that the regular Lyriq is built at.
