The Cadillac ELR did not receive great praise when it first arrived on the scene. The world did not seem ready to spend the money asked for a luxury electric car unless it carried the Tesla name, but one thing the ELR has over the Tesla model is the price and the ability to go farther. For this year the price of the ELR has dropped significantly and the all-electric range has been increased to 39 miles with a 330 mile range extending engine which makes it much easier to enjoy the drive and continually refuel on a long trip, which is certainly a huge advantage over the Tesla Model S.
We know the right thing to do is to move toward plug-in hybrid cars to save on fossil fuels and make the most use of the gasoline we do have; the ELR allows you to do just that. For this year the price has dropped by $10,000 and the car has 25 percent more power, and enhanced handling, Apple CarPlay compatibility and an optional performance package. This makes for an amazing performing luxury car that offers the responsibility of being a hybrid model with an all-electric range.
You may wonder how well this car drives, let me remind you the name that is on the car is Cadillac which immediately should tell you it’s a great driving machine. the power has been increased, which we will get to, and the drive is balanced and refined while also being sporty and athletic. The chassis and steering have been upgraded to be even better than before along with the addition of Brembo four-piston brakes and a continuous damping and electric power steering that make it even better for you to drive than before. You will really enjoy the ride in this excellent car that gives you luxury and sport, which is the goal of the newly designed Cadillac cars.
As for the power of this car, the ELR makes use of a 17.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 1.4-liter inline four-cylinder gasoline backup system. This pushes out 233 horsepower and 373 lb.-ft. of torque, which is better in both cases than the ELR that was offered in 2014. This increased power helps the car reach sixty mph in only 6.4 seconds. The transmission is a CVT and all together this car gets 85 MPGe which is amazing. The recharge time takes only five hours with the 240-volt charger which means if you live and work in the same city you may not have to use the gasoline very often at all.
As you would expect on a Cadillac the car is full of great equipment. The standard offerings include blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alerts, lane change alerts, leather seating, dual-zone climate controls, a rearview camera, a navigation system, three years of complimentary service, the OnStar Guidance Plan, a ten-speaker Bose premium audio system, the 4G LTE Wi-Fi from the OnStar system, wireless smart phone charging, forward collision warnings, eight airbags and rear parking assistance.
Because this car is what is considered a low volume car, there are not a lot of extras and with all the standard features you won’t be looking for a lot more anyway. The only package that can be added is the Performance Package which adds 20-inch summer tires, alloy wheels, Brembo brakes, a sport tuned suspension, a sport steering wheel and adaptive cruise control with front automatic emergency braking.
I mentioned this car has taken a price cut and a significant one. The ELR starts out at $65,995 which is down from the 2014 price of $76,000. Even though there are more expensive electric hybrids on the market most of them are not the small size and the niche fitting of the ELR, which makes this price break a significant and important change.
When you see the ELR and get behind the wheel you will have a lot of fun on any drive. This is a car that begs you to drive it and gives back as much as you put into it. With angular styling and a beautiful shape you will see many turning their heads to get a second glance at your ELR. You know it’s time to show your responsible side with your driving and in the ELR you don’t have to give up the fun and driving excitement of a great luxury model that will certainly become your favorite car to drive.
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