2026 Cadillac Optiq Gains Power, RWD Model and NACS Port
Cadillac’s entry-level EV, the Optiq, bowed for the 2025 model year with just a single all-wheel-drive powertrain option. In addition to the 519-horsepower Optiq-V that’s set to join the lineup later in 2025, there’s now another choice at the opposite end of the pricing spectrum: a new rear-wheel-drive entry-level variant.
Related: 2025 Cadillac Optiq Review: Entry-Level Never Felt So Good
With a single motor, the rear-drive electric Caddy puts out an estimated 315 hp and 332 pounds-feet of torque; that’s 15 hp more and only 22 pounds-feet fewer than the AWD 2025 model. For 2026, the non-V AWD Optiq’s output grows to 440 hp and 498 pounds-feet of torque, increases of 140 hp and 144 pounds-feet. In addition to its 519 hp, the V churns out a massive (for a compact SUV) 650 pounds-feet.
The Optiq’s battery pack is unchanged and still stores 85 kilowatt-hours. Cadillac figures the rear-driver will manage 300 miles on a charge and the V will have a range of 275 miles (EPA range estimates are not yet available). The brand also claims the Optiq can add up to 79 miles of range in about 10 minutes on a DC fast charger.
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Tech Upgrades, Too
Optiq drivers will have access to more DC fast chargers in the 2026 model, as the Optiq now includes a North American Charging Standard port as standard equipment. Tesla’s Supercharger network, the single largest DC fast-charging network in the country, uses NACS plugs rather than the comparatively bulky Combined Charging System hardware used by other charging providers. Cadillac also says it has improved the Optiq’s 360-degree camera system and parking sensors, but it provided no detail on those upgrades.
Release Date and Pricing
Full details on the updated 2026 Cadillac Optiq, including pricing, will be available closer to the model’s launch. Sales are expected to begin in the fall.
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