All-New 2014 Cadillac ELR Coupe to be Introduced in Production Guise at the Detroit Show

Adding to the many important world premieres that General Motors has planned for us at the upcoming 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, and which include the new Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra and Corvette C7, is the production version of the Cadillac ELR.

Cadillac's interpretation of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle project was previewed three years ago with the Converj Concept at the 2009 Detroit auto show.

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GM Says it will have 500,000 Vehicles with Some Form of Electrification on Roads by 2017

There is a greener future lying ahead for General Motors, which plans to have up to 500,000 vehicles on the road with some form of electrification by 2017, according to product chief Mary Barra.

On Wednesday, the company’s top product development executive said GM will focus on electric vehicles, and plug-in and mild hybrids instead of conventional hybrids.

“The plug-in offers a unique opportunity to change the way people commute,” Barra told the reporters attending the GM Electrification Experience in San Francisco. “Plug-based solutions will play a significant role in our technology portfolio going forward.”

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Cadillac Confirms that the ELR will be FWD, Do You Think GM Made the Right Decision?

On Tuesday, Cadillac added another piece to the puzzle that is the new ELR plug-hybrid coupe by announcing that the car will be manufactured at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant with production to start in late 2013.

We already know that the ELR will be closely based on Cadillac's 2009 Converj Concept and that it will borrow much of its extended-range electric technology from the Chevy Volt, combining a T-shaped lithium-ion battery with an electric drive unit and an unspecified four-cylinder engine working as a generator to power the electric motor.

What we assumed, but didn't know for sure, is whether the ELR would keep the same front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout as the Volt or if Cadillac would engineer a new platform with a front-engine, rear-wheel drive configuration.

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GM to Build New Cadillac ELR at Detroit-Hamtramck Plant Starting in Late 2013

The next big thing to come from Cadillac will be the ELR plug-in hybrid coupe, which is the production version of the Converj, a concept vehicle first displayed at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit that borrows its extended-range electric technology from the Chevy Volt.

In a keynote address at the SAE Convergence Conference in Detroit on Tuesday, General Motors North America President Mark Reuss revealed that preparations will soon be underway at the firm's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant to build the Cadillac ELR.

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GM Wants Increase Hybrid and EV Sales in China Despite Abysmal Volt Sales

It’s true that sales of the Volt haven't quite taken off in the way Chevrolet intended. Even in the US, where it is subsidized by the federal government as well as by some states like California, it hasn't been able to come close to GM's goal of 45,000 units in 2012 - though at 10,666 deliveries from January to July, it sold more than triple the numbers of the Nissan Leaf at 3,543 units in the same period.

It makes perfect sense then that it is almost non-existent in China, where its US$40K price is nearly doubled due to taxation imposed by the government on imported cars.

This is a fact that GM representatives readily acknowledge. Ray Bierzynski, the company’s head of electric vehicle strategy in China, won’t disclose any sales figure, but told Automotive News that the Volt is “a very low-volume” car.

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Cadillac's Plans for the 2013-15 Model Years Reportedly Include New Flagship Limo and Escalade

The next 24 months will be a busy time for Cadillac in terms of new products as the Detroit automaker has plenty on its plate including the presentation of a flagship limousine loosely based on the well-received Ciel convertible sedan concept.

A report from Automotive News (sub. required) citing sources from within General Motors outlines Cadillac's plans for the 2013-15 model years.

According to the insiders, GM has given the green light for the development of a full size, rear-wheel drive luxury sedan that will sit atop of the range rivaling the Audi A8, BMW 7-Series, Jaguar XJ and Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

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GM Wants Cadillac to Follow in the Successful Footsteps of Buick in China

Last year, Buick sold 177,633 vehicles in the States and 645,537 cars in China, with the Excelle, which is the local version of the Verano sedan, taking the first spot overall in the passenger car segment.

Cadillac, on the other hand, delivered 152,389 vehicles in the U.S. but only about 30,000 in the world's most populous country, despite an increase of 73 percent over 2010.

Given China's thirst for luxury products, it is no wonder that General Motors would like to repeat the success of Buick with its flagship brand.

According to General Motors CEO Dan Akerson, who was speaking on the company's first quarter earnings call for 2012, there is a plan in motion to boost Cadillac's sales in China six-fold in the next few years.

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