New teaser of the Cadillac ELR

An official teaser picture of the new Cadillac ELR is circulating, suggesting that the production ELR will look very much like the 2009 Converj Concept. The car is Cadillac’s interpretation of the Chevrolet Volt, and we’ll get a glimpse of the production version at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January.

Until then, let’s see what we know about the Cadillac ELR. It is certain that it will use very much of Chevrolet Volt’s technology, which is totally understandable: for General Motors, this is the best way to make the production cheaper, and to earn some more money on Volt’s expensive-to-develop technology.

Therefore the Cadillac ELR will keep the Volt’s layout with a T-shaped, 16 kWh lithium-ion battery fitted in the lower part of the car. The battery pack weighs 435 lb (197 kg), and receives a factory guarantee for eight years or 100,000 miles (160,000 km). The Cadillac ELR will also have some kind of internal combustion engine that works as a generator to power the electric motors that turn the front wheels.

There is not much surprise in design, either: the edgy styling of Cadillac ELR bears close resemblance to the Converj Concept. There are a few minor differences to be observed, like the glasshouse is taller, exterior mirrors are smaller and its nose is shorter. These modifications were necessary to comply with the current traffic safety standards.

Chevrolet Volt was well received, and the Cadillac ELR built on its bases is also very probable to be liked by car enthusiasts. With the sound and reliable technical background of the Volt, the greatest question is whether the Cadillac ELR will represent a quality and comfort leap that is worth paying extra? We’ll see in a few weeks, at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.