Cadillac Elevated Velocity Concept is a V-Series EV For the Trails

Not simply a flight of fancy, this all-electric concept is a runner (of sorts).

Cadillac has descended upon Monterey Car Week with a new concept car. Dubbed Elevated Velocity, it does about what you’d expect if you remember last year’s Opulent Velocity concept debuting at the same place: take a glance at the future of electric-powered V-Series performance, but with greater ride height and an off-roading lean.

The design is all low-slung style and dramatic proportions, sharing much with its sibling but with the requisite ground clearance and a truncated tail. The front-end features a waterfall-like nose with light-up Cadillac badge. The dramatic lighting LED signature seems to melt into the Vapor Blue bodywork, with vestigial running lights just poking through above the wheel arches a la Opulent Velocity. Enormous 24-inch alloy wheels feature Cadillac’s Precision pattern while using a combination of flax fiber and black crystal tint acrylic. Probably not the most durable choice for off-roading, that…

The chopped tail features a slit of a rear window and a high trunk to fit a bespoke polo kit. Yes, really. The super-cool rear light tunnel design of the Opulent Velocity gets a remix here, and this is the sort of full-width treatment we want to see on more road cars. Another excellent feature: the subtle creases that mimic the V-Series logo when viewing the Elevated Velocity in profile.

Let the large gullwing doors swing up and the pared-back cabin is a symphony of red hues: Morello, Cerise, and Garnet. The former is the name of the Nappa leather covering the headliner, door uppers, seat cushions, and much of the cabin; the latter, a boucle dotting the armrests, seat tops, and instrument panel. Cerise is yet another red fabric wrapping around the cabin including the doors, where a 3D printed pattern is meant to evoke the actions of desert polo. Remember, this is debuting in Monterey, after all. Don’t forget the bits of brushed metal and glass, including the elegant seat mounts.

The cabin comes with a whole gaggle of tech features, some of which are down-to-Earth, while others are more out there. Air purification and filtration are increasingly common; something Cadillac calls “extreme climitzation” accounts for big exterior temperature swings or altitude changes. There’s also an integrated red light therapy system—as a fellow journalist pointed out in a preview session, the long-term benefits of red light therapy still require further study. Something simpler we can get behind: the pretty, pouring-water animation that starts at the base of the steering column and trickles onto the wheel center. Cool.

Cadillac envisions distinct selectable drive modes to make the most of the vehicle. An Elevate mode blends autonomous driving with temperature and lighting adjustments for “a recovery space for occupants.” Here the pedals and steering wheel retract, so the driver and occupants can focus on relaxing. Meanwhile Velocity mode is meant to be driven, with four drive modes itself. The e-Velocity mode sounds straightforward enough: Cadillac calls it an evolution of today’s V-Mode, with a focus on on-road driving. Terra mode activates the air suspension for off-tarmac fun. Sand Vision is a different sort: Cadillac says it is similar to Night Vision, improving visibility in a sandstorm. The most bizarre mode is Elements Defy, which activates a “dust-phobic vibration” to keep the vehicle looking clean. We’d like to try that, please.

Don’t expect a production car in the same shape as the Elevated Velocity. Cadillac confirmed this EV is in fact a runner, “but it does not have the full performance capabilities as envisioned by the Cadillac Design team,” according to company spokesperson. Nonetheless, we expect aspects of this swanky concept to make their way into future Cadillac EVs. If you’re attending Monterey Car Week, you can check out the Elevated Velocity in person at the Quail on August 15.

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