2014 Cadillac ELR goes on sale in January

The 2014 Cadillac ELR extended-range electric vehicle will cost $75,995 when it comes to all U.S. metropolitan areas in January. Remember that the ELR is basically the Cadillac-skinned version of the Chevy Volt hybrid. That means qualifying ELR buyers will receive a $7,500 federal tax credit upon IRS certification, dropping the price to $68,495.

The wedgy ELR comes with a 1.4-liter gas engine, powering a T-shaped 16.5 kWh lithium-ion battery. Like the Volt, the ELR will have a driving range of more than 300 miles, including about 35 highway miles using electric power alone, according to Cadillac.

Cadillac is also rolling out an ELR Concierge Representative for each car sold. The company says the service “is an additional point of contact for information on battery care, home charging, service scheduling, news and updates.” Customers can call 855-422-3357 to speak to a representative.

The ELR comes with an extended battery and propulsion warranty of eight years or 100,000 miles, in addition to a four-year bumper-to-bumper plan to alleviate any electrical concerns.

Standard features include Cadillac’s CUE with navigation, an eight-inch, full-color capacitive-touch screen, LED front and rear lighting, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Alert, the Safety Alert Seat and the new Regen on Demand feature, which allows the driver to temporarily regenerate energy from the vehicles motion using the steering wheel paddles.

The ELR offers four driving modes, Touring, Sport, Mountain (which helps maintain a charge in hilly terrain) and Hold mode, which lets drivers select when to use the battery or gas-powered generator.

By Jake Lingeman