Cadillac’s Electric Push Includes the Opulent Velocity Concept

Though General Motors overall has shown some ambivalence about the pace of electric vehicle introductions—first canceling the entry-level Bolt, then reinstating it last year (though for an undisclosed date)—Cadillac is all in.

To prove it, the company is introducing a full range of new plug-in models in top-to-bottom market segments. Luxury is definitely covered. GM sold just over 75,000 electric vehicles last year, up 93% from 2022. The Cadillac electric line currently includes the Lyriq (a luxury-minded SUV that starts at US$57,195); Escalade IQ (a very fancy three-row that, later this year, will start at US$130,000); Celestiq (an ultra-luxurious limited-edition sedan, starting at US$350,000); and Optiq (an entry-level electric SUV for 2025, slotted below the Lyriq), starting around US$45,000. And let’s not forget the forthcoming 2026 Vistiq, a three-row SUV to complement the iQ. No price yet. And did you notice they all end in “IQ”?

Cadillac sold approximately 9,000 Lyriqs in 2023, with 3,800 of them moving in the last quarter. That made the Lyriq the best seller among electric compact luxury SUVs. Admittedly, a few qualifiers there: The Lyriq is also offered in China, and sales there climbed 60% in 2023.

Departing from the IQ convention is a new show car, the Opulent Velocity, which Cadillac has only shown in a teaser photograph and video. In the latter, a blurred image of the car races past. Speculation is that it will be a luxurious sedan like the flamboyantly styled Celestiq, but possibly more conventionally designed and with an emphasis on performance.

The Opulent Velocity concept car is in part a celebration of Cadillac’s V-Series, which presents performance versions of popular models. Recent offerings include the 2025 CT5-V and CT5-V Blackwing. These are brute-force supercharged V8 sedans. The US$96,000 Blackwing version produces 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet of torque, coupled to a (rare these days) six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic.

The 2025 Optiq will be the entry-level electric Cadillac SUV
Cadillac

Phil Dauchy, global head of brand strategy and international marketing at Cadillac, points out that the company’s performance series is now 20 years old.

“The V-Series cars perform at the top of their segments,” Dauchy says, adding that the V-Series nomenclature will remain as the brand goes electric. But the EVs with lots of power are already there. “If you buy a Lyriq Sport all-wheel drive right now you get a car with more than 500 horsepower,” he says.

The electric lineup now is heavy on SUVs, but Dauchy says that Cadillac’s current CT4 and CT5 sedan models are performing very well in the marketplace. “There is a significant piece of the luxury market that is sedans, including in China,” he says. “Cadillac remains dedicated to its sedan lineup.”

The 2026 Vistiq is slotted between the Lyriq and Escalade IQ.
Cadillac

Dauchy declined to say how many people have bought those pricey Celestiqs. “It’s not about the sales numbers, though we have an internal sales goal,” he says. “We intend to produce fewer than we can sell. We want a vehicle that is hard to get. We also want a unique buying experience, with prospective buyers coming out to the Cadillac House in Warren, Michigan and choosing colours and fabrics and working with a concierge.” This bespoke approach has worked well for other luxury brands, from Rolls-Royce to Maserati.

Spokeswoman Stephanie Obendorfer says the concept will not be featured at the New York International Auto Show , which runs through April 7. “We look forward to sharing more details on Opulent Velocity later this year,” Obendorfer says.

Specialised venues—such as the recent Amelia Island and Audrain concours events—are a better fit for showing exclusive cars like Opulent Velocity, Dauchy says.

All of Cadillac’s new models will be electric going forward. Internal-combustion cars will remain in the lineup until the end of the decade. But the pursuit of performance remains. EVs today are the world’s fastest cars off the line, even if they don’t always excel at top speeds. The Celestiq, though its emphasis is on luxury, reaches 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, and its two electric motors produce 600 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque.

Pure Amazon, an A&K Sanctuary, has officially launched its voyages into the 21,000-square-kilometre Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve.

Designed for just 22 guests, the new vessel positions itself at the high end of wilderness travel, offering quiet, immersive, and attentive experiences with a one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio. The focus is on proximity to wildlife and landscape, without the crowds that have made parts of the Amazon feel like tourism has arrived before the welcome mat.

Where Architecture Meets the River

The design direction comes from Milan-based architect Adriana Granato, who has reimagined the boat’s interiors as part gallery, part observatory. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame rainforest scenes that shift hour to hour, and every space holds commissioned artworks by Peruvian artists.

The dining room’s centrepiece, Manto de Escamas de Paiche by Silvana Pestana, uses bronze and clay formations that mirror the scale patterns of the Amazon’s giant fish. Pestana’s works throughout the vessel reference environmental fragility, especially the scars left by illegal gold mining.

In each suite, hand-painted kené textiles by Shipibo-Konibo master artist Deysi Ramírez depict sacred geometry in natural dyes. Cushions by the BENEAI Collective feature 20 unique embroidered compositions, supporting Indigenous women artists and keeping traditional techniques alive in a meaningful, non-performative way.

Wildlife Without the Tame Script

Days on board are structured around early and late river expeditions led by naturalist guides. Guests may encounter pink river dolphins cutting through morning mist, three-toed sloths moving like they’re part of the slow cinema movement, and black caimans appearing at night like something from your childhood nightmares.

The prehistoric hoatzin appears along riverbanks, giant river otters hunt in packs, and scarlet macaws behave like the sky belongs to them. The arapaima — the same fish inspiring Pestana’s artwork — occasionally surfaces like an apparition.

A Regional Culinary Lens

The culinary program is led by a team from Iquitos with deep knowledge of Amazonian produce.

Nightly five-course tasting menus lean into local ingredients rather than performing them. Expect dishes like caramelised plantain with river prawns, hearts of palm with passionfruit, and Peruvian chocolate paired with fruits that would be unpronounceable if you encountered them in a supermarket aisle.

A pisco-led bar menu incorporates regional botanicals, including coca leaf and dragon’s blood resin.

A Model of Conservation-First Tourism

Pure Amazon’s conservation approach goes beyond the familiar “offset and walk away” playbook. Through A&K Philanthropy, the vessel’s operations support Indigenous community-led economic initiatives, including sustainable fibre harvesting and honey production in partnership with Amanatari.

Guests also visit FORMABIAP, a bilingual teacher training program supporting cultural and language preservation across several Indigenous communities. Notably, the program enables young women to continue their education while remaining with their families — a rarity in remote regions.

Low-intensity lighting, heat pump technology, and automated systems reduce disturbance to the reserve’s nocturnal wildlife.

The Experience Itself

Itineraries span three, four, or seven nights. Mornings often begin with quiet exploration along mirrorlike tributaries; afternoons allow for spa treatments or time on the open-air deck. Evenings shift into long dinners and soft-lit river watching as the rainforest begins its nightly soundtrack.

Granato describes the vessel as “a mysterious presence on the water,” its light calibrated to resemble fire glow rather than a foreign object imposing itself on the dark.

It is, in other words, slow travel done with precision.

Cadillac’s Electric Push Includes the Opulent Velocity Concept

Pure Amazon has begun journeys deep into Peru’s Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, combining contemporary design, Indigenous craftsmanship and intimate wildlife encounters in one of the richest ecosystems on Earth.