Cadillac EVs Have Been Gaining Traction
Cadillac has quietly built up a credible EV portfolio, and it has translated into volume gains this year. According to GM’s release, Cadillac moved about 18,383 EVs in Q3 2025 – more than double the same quarter a year earlier.
Of those, the Cadillac Lyriq remains the top-selling model, with approximately 7,309 deliveries in the quarter, nearly flat year-over-year (7,224 in Q3 2024) but stable. Meanwhile, the newer models – such as the Optiq (4,886 units) and Vistiq (3,924 units) in Q3 – brought fresh volume. Collectively, the brand reports that roughly 39-40 % of its Q3 sales were fully electric vehicles.
On the whole, Cadillac posted its best third quarter in years, helped by this electric push.
Cadillac
What do These Numbers Tell Us — Initially
Taken at face value, the story is straightforward: luxury buyers are shifting toward battery-electric models, and Cadillac is reaping the benefits. A 40% EV share within a legacy luxury brand suggests the market is accepting its electric models. It also signals that Cadillac’s architecture, design, and positioning of its EV offerings are resonating enough to generate volume.
Moreover, the wider American EV market hit record volume in Q3 2025: about 438,487 units sold, up roughly 29.6% year-over-year and up 40.7% from the previous quarter. For Cadillac, then, the takeaway might be: shifting brand image, credible EV lineup, buyers willing to go electric under that badge. But that’s not the whole story.
Cadillac
But Can You Trust the Numbers?
Here’s where the nuance kicks in. The surge in EV sales across many brands this quarter wasn’t purely organic demand; it was heavily influenced by the impending expiry of the U.S. federal tax credit. The credit, up to US$7,500 for eligible EV purchases, expired on 30 September 2025, and many buyers appear to have accelerated purchases to capture it.
In other words, some of the volume might have been pulled forward, not entirely new demand.
Even Cadillac itself hinted at caution: the brand’s strong quarter owes much to dealer inventory, incentives, and timing. The bigger question is whether Cadillac can hold that pace now that the tax credit is gone. Analysts at Cox Automotive are already forecasting a drop in EV sales in Q4 because the incentives are no longer supporting the numbers. In fact, other automakers like Hyundai and Kia have already reported a substantial drop in EV sales in October.
So yes, the underlying question is whether the shift is durable or simply incentive-driven. For Cadillac, sustaining EV volume after the “rush” will matter more than the surge itself.
Cadillac
