How Does the Cadillac LYRIQ Compare to Tesla Charging & Range?

As electric vehicles get more and more popular, there are more and more types of EVs on the market. These days, you don’t have to deal with a cramped interior in order to leave pain at the pump in the rearview mirror. We’re proud to offer the Cadillac LYRIQ for sale so our customers can drive home in a zero-emission luxury midsize SUV that’s loaded with useful features and style inside and out.

But, as with any EV, many drivers will still prioritize charging and range over everything else. We completely understand that EV infrastructure is still in the process of being built across the country, and drivers who are thinking of transitioning to electric power want a smooth transition as possible. The importance of this issue is probably the only thing that can explain why some shoppers have a hard time choosing between the Cadillac LYRIQ and Tesla’s Model X or Model Y.

When it comes to luxury, or even just a well-built interior with quality materials and enough physical controls to allow drivers to change vehicle settings without getting dangerously distracted, the LYRIQ is the hands-down winner. However, many choose Tesla because they think that the tech upstart has the best driver experience when it comes to charging. Is that really true, though? Today, we’re going to zero in on this aspect of EV ownership and see which all-electric SUV comes out on top.

Range

Range is one of the top priorities of EV buyers, and for good reason. Charging an EV is getting faster over time, but it’s still something that takes more time than filling a tank up with gas. Drivers naturally want to be able to go a long way on a single charge so they don’t have to interrupt their days with lengthy charging stops. Luckily, the 2024 LYRIQ has an impressive EPA-estimated range of 314 miles, which is plenty for most everyday driving and even a solid amount for road trippers, who can time the charging stops they do need to coincide with meal breaks and look for hotels that have charging stations on hand for getting back to 100% overnight. The 2024 Tesla Model Y only delivers 279 miles of range with the Performance trim, and even the Long Range version still falls short of the LYRIQ, at 310 miles. The Model X does better, but not by much, offering up to 335 miles of total range.

Charging Network

You may have heard that the Tesla Supercharger network is more reliable than the network of other public EV charging stations. Since these Superchargers were only available to Tesla drivers for years, it might have seemed like a reason to opt for a Tesla over another EV, even one that’s superior in other ways. But we’re happy to report that the exclusivity of Superchargers is old news. Recently, several automakers, including Cadillac, have announced that they’ve struck a deal with Tesla, allowing their EVs to be charged at Tesla stations. You can use an available adapter to charge the LYRIQ at any Tesla Supercharger, and at stations equipped with a Magic Dock, you don’t need an adapter at all.

Beyond Tesla’s network, there are plenty of other ways to charge your LYRIQ. A standard 120V wall outlet will be slow (around 3.5 miles of range per hour), but these outlets are everywhere and can be used in a pinch. If you want a home charging station, it’s a better idea to invest in a more powerful 240V outlet or hardwired charging station, which can be used for Level 2 charging. This lets you add as much as 51 miles of range per hour, making it a practical way to charge up overnight. Plus, Tesla isn’t the only company to offer public DC fast charging; there are plenty of stations from brands like Electrify America and EVgo that will let you add up to 77 miles of range in ten minutes so you can get back on the road in no time

Finding charging stations is easy, whether you’re already in the vehicle or planning your route ahead of time. You can use the myCadillac app to search for compatible stations from your phone, whether you’re planning a road trip or trying to find a station close to your office. If you’re already on the move, you can use the in-vehicle Google apps to find nearby stations, using either the touchscreen or voice recognition.

Trustworthiness

Getting the estimated figures for an EV’s range is easy, but deciding whether you can trust them is a little more complicated. Electric vehicle technology is still fairly new, and range can be affected by how much weight the vehicle is carrying, how fast it’s going, or what the temperature is outside, so there are bound to be some bumps in the road. A study conducted by SAE International, a renowned engineering organization, found that the average EV falls short of its advertised range by 12.5% on the highway. While not all of the brands used in the study were disclosed, a co-author of the study later revealed via Reuters that the Tesla models they tested performed the worst, falling about 26% short of their promised estimates, making them about twice as untrustworthy as the average vehicle.

Reuters has also reported that Tesla has programmed the dashboards in its vehicles to display “rosy” estimates of the remaining range, designed to align with the promised estimates rather than the actual remaining range. Some drivers who noticed this and booked service appointments to address what they assumed to be an underlying issue have had their appointments canceled pre-emptively, reportedly by a so-called “Diversion Team” put together for the explicit purpose of canceling range-related service appointments. With business practices like these, it can be difficult to trust Tesla in general. Cadillac, by contrast, is a trusted American brand that has been producing quality vehicles for decades and decades.

Cold-Weather Reliability

Minnesota drivers need to be able to rely on their vehicles, even when the weather gets well below freezing. So it might be a deal-breaker for a prospective Tesla buyer to learn about a story that multiple news outlets, including CBS and ABC, reported on in January of 2024. Several Tesla drivers in Chicago got stuck in line at a charging station because not only was the sub-zero temperature making drivers lose range quickly, but it also slowed down charging times. Research by Consumer Reports backs up this anecdote: testing released in 2024 showed that the Tesla Model Y had a real range of just 186 miles in cold weather (even the 274 miles it managed in warm weather fell short of its promised 326-mile range). While the LYRIQ, like all EVs, performs better in mild and warm weather, it does have tech on board to keep the cold at bay. Cadillac’s Ultium platform, which powers the LYRIQ, uses an innovative feature called a heat pump to warm the cabin without sapping the battery’s range.

The LYRIQ Charges Ahead

Working under a “move fast and break things” mentality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially when you’re making vehicles. If you want an electric vehicle that delivers on its promises, can be charged up just about anywhere, and is dependable year-round, then you can’t go wrong with the Cadillac LYRIQ. On top of all that, you’ll also get a luxurious interior that feels as good as it looks, up to 500 hp, and plenty of space for passengers and cargo. With a well-rounded array of features, the LYRIQ is more than just another stylish front end—it’s the SUV of the future.

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