As anticipated, General Motors used a press conference at the Detroit auto show on Sunday to launch the Cadillac Converj concept — an extended-range electric vehicle based on the same technology as the Chevrolet Volt. The car can travel 40 miles on electricity alone, and several hundred miles thanks to a small gasoline generator.
Converj is “a logical extension of our plan to reinvent the automobile,” GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said. “It clearly shows what a Cadillac electric vehicle could look like, and clearly indicates that global luxury customers can have a car that has both strong design and electric propulsion with a total range of hundreds of anxiety-free miles.”
The Cadillac Converj’s Voltec electric propulsion system is made up of a 16-kWh, T-shaped battery, an electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine-generator.
The thermally managed battery pack contains more than 220 lithium-ion cells that can be charged by plugging in to a home outlet. The battery takes less than three hours to recharge the battery at 240V, or about eight hours from a 120V outlet. The intention is for commuters to plug the vehicle into a power source overnight, providing enough juice for a typical day’s commute without ever burning any gas.
Whether in electric or extended-range mode, the Converj is propelled all the time by an electric drive unit. It converts electrical energy from the battery or the engine-generator into mechanical energy to drive the front wheels. It also delivers 273 lb.-ft. (370 Nm) of instant torque, for a quick launch, and 120 kW of power. The top speed is 100 mph.
To enhance the ride feel, the Converj also features GM’s Magnetic Ride Control; and for even greater efficiency, energy during braking is captured and stored in the battery.
An all-glass roof incorporates solar panels that help offset power drain from the vehicle’s electronics. Low-profile rearview cameras replace conventional outside mirrors to reduce drag. Renewable materials are used throughout such as wool-blend carpeting, a headliner made from silk, and suede made from post-industrial content.
High-tech OLED screens are used on the reconfigurable instrument cluster. Touch-screen are used for navigation, climate, center-stack controls and audio systems. Push-button ignition and power-folding front seats round out the list of luxury features.
01/11, 2:21 PM
posted by:
tripleonefive
Nice I just hope they realize that is needs two more doors
01/11, 2:24 PM
posted by:
Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3
What the CTS coupe should have looked like to begin with—now, branded the Converj with trickery. Problem is that the these wonderfully styled concepts then head to the GM Styling Obsolescence Department where they are made to look dated before the last payment of the ticket booklet. That and the fact that GM stole from the US taxpayer, means I am no longer interested in GM products.
01/11, 2:29 PM
posted by:
andy
looks pretty rockin, and should help offset the price of the technology… kind of a little electric cien
01/11, 2:35 PM
posted by:
andy
GM didnt steal **** from US taxpayers, that money was going to wallstreet either way… get off their f-ing backs… Many other car companies received money/ loans from governments… so what, you just arent going to drive any of those manufacturers vehicles… all you people bashing these companies dont seem to understand the effect of them filing bankruptcy. stfu
01/11, 2:36 PM
posted by:
Jas Is Evil
The grille is hideous, but the rest of the car looks pretty good.
01/11, 2:37 PM
posted by:
neptronix
gm got a loan from the taxpayer. a small one. Ever hear of the 700bn bank bailout? we *gave* that to them……..
either ways, friggin’ awesome. Hell, i would buy one of these with the 2.2 ecotec in it or a v6 even cuz it looks so damn cool.
3x cooler than the lexus 250whatever.
01/11, 2:48 PM
posted by:
MurcieMe
OOOoOOooOOOH!!
01/11, 3:07 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Who the hell is in charge of naming at GM these days? Converj? Here’s a better one: the Regurj, as in what’s happening to my lunch.
01/11, 3:45 PM
posted by:
anyclearer
this is perfect, love the rear.
01/11, 3:48 PM
posted by:
Gundy
Damn, yet another sweet, nicely-designed, vehicle that I won’t be able to afford. This is a winner, those crisp lines and that gorgeous interior, very nice. Caddy has a winner here, that dash is unique, cool, and I want to be sitting in that driver’s seat looking at it in person, in my garage.
01/11, 3:56 PM
posted by:
MHW
Hands down the best looking green car to date, the interior is nothing short of amazing!
01/11, 4:26 PM
posted by:
Blakkarr
It lloks like a cross between the CTS Coupe and the CIEN. There will be the obvious tone down somewhere but not much.
That and the painful cost of the VOLT makes this a no-brainer.
johnnycanuck,
I agree about the name but it would just be a too much to ask for them to give it a logical name like CHS: Cadillac Hybrid Sedan Concept. Maybe something less weird sounding like “E-voq” or “Pro-voq”.
Whatever If they make the car, as long as the name sounds good, then I’m sold.
neptronix,
It’s a serial hybrid. The engine size has very little baring on the performance of the car. The engine only runs the generator and so can be a large motorcycle engine. It real issue is how powerful is the generator.
andy,
I agree. At least the money is going to something you can put you hands on and not more financial alchemy.
01/11, 5:33 PM
posted by:
bolex
johnnycanuck LOL….seriously i was thinking the same thing as these Cadi names just keep getting more rediculous…nice car though.
01/11, 5:36 PM
posted by:
tyler_is_aero_tt
This and the Volt will lead the way to what green cars should look like, but especially this. Cadillac has the most badass designs.
01/11, 8:08 PM
posted by:
mazdaman
It looks great! Now this is platform sharing done right. There is nothing about this car that looks similar to its Volt platform mate. Great job Cadillac! This car makes the Lexus dedicated hybrid sedan look like a complete joke.
01/11, 10:50 PM
posted by:
Impulsive
Wow.
Near perfection.
Awe-inspiring.
Why can’t all cars look this good? Instead, we get Honda and Toyota litter clogging the roads.
01/12, 8:51 AM
posted by:
stick2clutch
Sweeeeeeeeeeeett!! If the GM EV looked like this a lot of things wouldn’t be an issue today. Anyway, love it. Build it GM.
01/12, 11:32 AM
posted by:
FlyingB
Fantastic… except for the face. Too much space between the grille and the headlight clusters.
01/12, 12:57 PM
posted by:
TheQ
Okay but Cadillac’s concepts have looked the same for a long time now. This barely differs from the evoq’s design theme which is a pretty old concept now…
01/12, 3:40 PM
posted by:
A4
Would it have been that hard to spell “Converj” correctly? Probably would have sounded like someone who wasnt twelve named it.
01/12, 6:07 PM
posted by:
wideopenthrottle
Looks like a winner. I just hope it makes it to production and still looks this dramatic. I’m not sold on the grille, I prefer one like the new CTS-v. Agreed, Converj is a stupid name but better than the Kia Soulster or Lincoln’s new naming strategy–keep using an indistiguishable (hope I spelt that right) [to the average consumer] series of MK_
01/12, 10:36 PM
posted by:
maxcar
i’m digging the caddy stable these days. the design team has grown some balls. as other posts say, i hope it isn’t lost when the numbers-crunchers get a hold of it.
01/13, 2:03 AM
posted by:
328ISS40
Gallardo anyone?
01/13, 8:05 PM
posted by:
Blakkarr
328ISS40,
More like a Cien Concept with proportions closer to the CTS Coupe (CTC) with a front end that gets a lot fro the Cadillac Sixteen Concept.