Report: Cadillac CT6 Plug-In Won’t Return to US Market in 2019
It looks like this full-size hybrid sedan will soon go the way of the ELR.
Cadillac has reportedly confirmed that its flagship PHEV sedan, the CT6 Plug-In, will not be coming to America next year.
Back in August, CadillacSociety used a Vehicle Identification Number decoder to assess what model configurations would be available on the refreshed 2019 Cadillac CT6 sedan. The site confirmed seven trim levels and five engine options for the new model, including the carried-over option of a plug-in hybrid. GMAuthority recently delved deeper into the subject, contacting a source at Cadillac to confirm whether or not the CT6 hybrid would still be available for the American market.
Cadillac explained to GMAuthority, "For 2019, our focus for CT6 in North America is the launch of the comprehensive 2019 midcycle and the first-ever V-Series variant of the top-of-range sedan." The statement continued, "Cadillac remains committed to electrified systems for our vehicles. Although production of the CT6 Plug-In for North America is discontinuing for the 2019 model year, alternative fuel vehicles remain a part of our future product portfolio as we move deeper into our 10-year plan. GM has committed to 20 electric vehicles by 2023, some of which will be Cadillacs. Cadillac will also continue to be the spearhead brand for many of the company’s technologies, such as Super Cruise and V2X."
The CT6 Plug-In is currently assembled at Cadillac's plant in Shanghai, and it will presumably continue to be sold in the Chinese market. The outgoing hybrid model combined twin electric motors with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and re-purposed batteries from the Chevrolet Volt. This complex system was able to drive all four wheels with 335 horsepower and 432 pound-feet of torque. Impressive numbers, but a modest 31 miles of all-electric range and a price tag of $76,000 made it somewhat of a hard sell against electrified offerings from Tesla and BMW.
The CT6 wasn't the first plug-in model from Cadillac. The Volt-based ELR made its debut in 2013, getting unceremoniously canceled three years later. As the brand commits to the production of crossovers, it's not much of a surprise that it would quit importing the least popular variant of its already slow-selling sedan.
