Cadillac ELR To Enter Production In Late 2013

In August of 2011, we learned that the Cadillac Converj concept car would enter production and be called the Cadillac ELR. We didn't know at the time exactly when the vehicle would enter production. General Motors has officially announced that the ELR Coupe will enter production in late 2013.

The vehicle will be a front-wheel-drive extended range electric vehicle and will be constructed at the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant. The car sounds very much like a Cadillac branded Chevrolet Volt. However, the ELR we've seen in renderings, such as the one above, will certainly be a better-looking vehicle than the Volt.

Whether or not that rendering will be what the vehicle looks like when it rolls off the assembly line remains to be seen. The vehicle uses a T-shaped lithium-ion battery, electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine-generator. The gasoline engine will kick on to charge the batteries when more driving range is needed.

As I said, it's basically a Volt with a two-door body. The Volt is already an expensive vehicle, and anything with the Cadillac crest on the grill carries a significant premium. I'd wager we're talking about a $50,000 or more extended range electric vehicle when the ELR Coupe is available at your local dealership.

[via Motoward]