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Large SUVs are all the rage. They are big, inefficient, and expensive, but many buyers don’t care about such things. They may want to do the right thing and drive an electric car, but only if it substitutes for the jumbo-sized vehicle they feel they are entitled to in their station in life. Manufacturers are loath to crank out flotillas of low-priced cars with razor-thin profit margins, but only too happy to build some ultra luxo-barges that will materially fatten the corporate bottom line. And so, Cadillac and Mercedes are set to offer large battery powered SUVs to those who can pay for them.
Cadillac Vistiq Electric SUV
On November 12, Cadillac officially announced the 2026 Vistiq SUV, a three-row SUV with 300 miles of range and a starting price of $78,790, which includes the destination fee. The Vistiq will join the Lyriq, Optiq, and Escalade IQ — as well as the ultra-luxury Celestiq — in Cadillac’s growing family of electric vehicles. The Vistiq will arrive just in time to take advantage of a increase in EV sales at GM thanks to a more diverse lineup than many of its rivals.
According to The Verge, production of the Vistiq will begin early next year at GM’s Spring Hill, Tennessee, factory where the Lyriq (and the Honda Prologue) is already produced, which means it should qualify for the federal EV tax credits — provided they have not been revoked by the incoming administration by then. The new three-row SUV from Cadillac will carry over a lot of the design touches first found in the Lyriq, such as flush door handles and a diamond-cut pattern on the faux grille. The side panels are indented like the Lyriq’s, and the front and rear lights are almost identical as well.
The swept back windshield resembles the one on the upcoming Escalade IQ, but the Vistiq will have slightly less power while still offering abundant acceleration and range. The dual-motor Vistiq comes with a 102 kWh battery, the Escalade IQ has a 200 kWh pack — with 615 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. It features active rear steering and optional 23-inch wheels. The Vistiq’s infotainment system will be powered by Android using Google’s built-in software service. That means navigation powered by Google Maps, available apps for download through the Google Play Store, and no support for popular phone projection features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Verge points out that GM’s software chief went on Decoder recently to defend that decision, which has annoyed plenty of potential customers.
V2H From Cadillac
A new feature for Cadillac will be the inclusion of bi-directional charging, which will enable vehicle-to-home (V2H) operation. GM’s home energy division recently started selling a V2H bundle that includes a home charger and an adapter kit for around $7,300. With this setup, Vistiq owners can run their homes from their EV battery during a blackout. There is no indication that GM intends to expand that to include vehicle-to-grid technology.
The Vistiq uses a 240-volt system and can add between 29 to 47 miles per hour using a Level 2 charger, depending on the charging rate. Using a DC fast charger, the Vistiq adds 79 miles for every 10 minutes of charging. Once again, charging rates vary depending on ambient temperature and the state of charge of the battery when charging begins. GM is doing lots of things well when it comes to bringing electric cars to market, but its Level 3 charging capability is quite a bit less than many of its competitors’. An infrared night vision display on the instrument cluster is included to help drivers navigate safely on dark highways.
At launch, Cadillac will offer three distinct trims — Luxury, Sport, and Premium Luxury. In 2025, it will offer a Platinum trim, with “added performance elements and more interior and exterior color options, allowing the customer to choose a vehicle that matches their own personality and preferences.”
The great unknown right now is how the polices of the new administration will impact automakers. Not only are EV purchase incentives at risk, but so are the production credits for battery makers. If those go away, the cost of batteries could increase significantly, which will cause sticker prices to rise. GM’s aspirations for a “zero-emission” future and profitable EV business in the near term are highly reliant on federal tax credits, The Verge says. There simply is no way of knowing right now how the regulatory environment may change in coming years.
Mercedes AMG Electric SUV
Mercedes has seen disappointing sales for its EQS large electric car in both sedan and SUV versions, but is moving ahead on the development of a new full sized electric SUV based on the battery electric AMG.EA platform, which is short for AMG Electric Architecture. Pre-production development vehicles are due to start their first test drives this winter.
That platform is designed for the future performance models from Mercedes-AMG and is already the basis for the Vision EQXX. That concept vehicle is not intended to become a production model. It is meant to provide a preview of a whole range of technologies that can make production vehicles more economical. For the moment, the new large SUV has the working title of “Born in Affalterbach,” a tribute to the location of the AMG development team that designed it. The vehicle will be the first “SUV built from the ground up” in the 57-year history of AMG, which is the performance and sports car brand for Mercedes.
“SUVs have been among our most popular models for many years,” said Michael Schiebe, chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-AMG. “We are now recognizing this development for the first time with an SUV. In the future, we will be offering our customers an absolutely fascinating high performance off-roader based on the AMG.EA. The motto for our new high performance platform is, AMG First, EV Second. This means that the vehicles will not only be outstanding EVs, but will also impress above all with classic AMG virtues such as emotion and performance.”
Electrive reports that details of the AMG.EA platform are not yet known. In previous statements, Mercedes-Benz has said only that the future architecture will take on a pioneering technological role in many aspects and bring numerous innovations to the road. “For example, the AMG.EA drive concept is based on axial-flow engine technology, which is unrivalled in terms of power density, size and weight,” the company has said. “The innovative drive works in conjunction with a new high performance high voltage battery.”
Mercedes-Benz is already testing the Vision EQXX extensively. In one early demonstration, it covered 1,008 kilometers on a single battery charge in real-world driving that included a crossing of the Alps. The maiden voyage led from Sindelfingen via the Swiss Alps and northern Italy to Cassis on the Côte d’Azur. For the entire trip, the EQXX averaged 8.7 kWh per 100 kilometers.
The price for the new large SUV from Mercedes is likely in the “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it” range, but for those who can afford it, it will no doubt be a surpassingly good vehicle. If any of the CleanTechnica staff buys one (highly unlikely), we will be sure to share more details with you at that time.
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