Leaderboard

As Cadillac moves forward with its rebuild of a naming scheme away from alpha-numerics and back to names, it ran into a connedrum. What to do with Escalade. Cadillac has decided that all of their EV names will end with the letters "iq". Last year, we were introduced to the Lyriq and the Celestiq. Other names that Cadillac has registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office are Ascendiq, Optiq, Symboliq, Vistiq, and Lumisiq. This put Cadillac into a pickle with Escalade. Today, Cadillac confirmed that the all-electric version of the Escalade will be called the Escalade IQ. While obviously a departure from the rest of the lineup, adding the suffix trim allows Cadillac to preserve one of the strongest brands in the entire GM lineup. The Cadillac Escalade IQ will be revealed later this year. Our take: While we like the change away from alpha-numerics, we think the IQ names feel forced and relatively meaningless. We also doubt their ability to hold any long-term brand equity. Cadillac can use the IQ suffix if they must, but use real names rather than made-up words. Names like the Seville and Eldorado have been gone long enough that it is unlikely that any current buyers would have driven an original.

Ford and Tesla jointly announced today that starting in the spring of 2024, Ford EV drivers will gain access to more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers in North America. This move will more than double the number of chargers available to Ford EV drivers who currently have access to 10,000 DC fast-chargers in the BlueOval EV network. Additionally, Ford dealers are adding 1,800 public-facing fast chargers across the continent. Existing EV models like the F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and E-Transit Vans will be able to use a Tesla developed adaptor to convert from the Tesla NACS Charger to the built-in CCS charge port, allowing access to Tesla V3 Superchargers. Moving forward, Ford will change from the CCS standard to the Tesla NACS standard on all EV models starting in 2025. The addition of Tesla SuperChargers to the BlueOval Charge Network creates the largest integrated network of fast-charger in North America. Ford cites Tesla's charge network reliability and the smaller form factor of the NACS plug as reasons for the switch.