• Cadillac patents the Ascendiq nameplate for a future electric model.
• In all, there are now seven names ending in “iq” reserved for use by Cadillac, including the already introduced Lyriq and Celestiq EVs.
• By the end of the decade, Cadillac will be selling only electric vehicles.
When we report on automakers registering names, we often include the caveat that it doesn't necessarily mean it’s destined for use on a future model. This is especially the case when the name has already been used in the past. Sometimes, a company is simply protecting its rights over a name.
However, when the name being reserved is brand-new, and when it clearly fits in with a brand’s naming strategy, it’s fairly safe to assume it will eventually end up on the back end of a vehicle.
Cadillac has adopted a specific strategy for naming its new electric models, with all names ending the same way. And in that spirit, here comes the Ascendiq nameplate, recently registered by General Motors (GM) with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). It will join the four other names that have already been reserved but not yet associated with an existing or upcoming model: Optiq, Symboliq, Vistiq and Lumistiq.
As we know, Cadillac will only sell electric vehicles by the end of the decade. In fact, from now on, any new product that GM's luxury division introduces will be all-electric. The Lyriq, incidentally, will make its official debut for 2023. The just-introduced new flagship model, the Celestiq sedan, will debut as a 2024 model in... 2024.
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After that, Cadillac is expected to launch a compact-sized SUV in 2024, followed by a midsize three-row SUV. At some point, not surprisingly, a battery-powered variant of the big Escalade will also join the lineup.
With all these names, in addition to the Escalade, Cadillac potentially has eight EVs in the works or in its plans, if our count is right.
Of course, we'll have to keep an eye on that over the next few months and years. It's possible some o the nameplates won’t be used for a while. In any case, that Cadillac is booking very specific “iq” names gives us a good idea of the company's plans.
It’s worth mentioning again here that some Cadillac dealerships could disappear in North America, as the company has told those dealers who decline to invest in making changes to handle sales and service of EVs will have to dissociate themselves from the brand. According to reports, a third of them have decided not to opt in. We’ve seen a similar scenario play out with Buick and its dealers, as well as at Ford and Lincoln.