Cadillac’s performance oriented V-Series is expanding further into the electric vehicle realm, with the introduction of the 2026 Cadillac OPTIQ-V.
“The 2026 OPTIQ-V will bring a youthful, more affluent, vibrant persona to our portfolio without sacrificing luxury design and the performance design that we know our customers want,” says Cadillac Director of Global Marketing Brad Franz.
The OPTIQ is Cadillac’s entry level EV, a smaller crossover, aimed at a younger buyer. The OPTIQ-V will have 519 horsepower, and a 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds.
“V-Series continues to help forge Cadillac’s performance legacy by providing customers an exhilarating driving experience,” said John Roth, vice president, Global Cadillac. “OPTIQ-V will be a significant addition to the V-Series portfolio bringing in new customers to the brand and emphasizing Cadillac’s global impact.”
OPTIQ-V will be sold in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Middle East, and Israel with production starting in fall 2025.
General Motors is shifting its electric vehicles to the Tesla style NACS charging standard. The OPTIQ-V will be the first GM vehicle to come with that style charging port. This will open up these vehicles to more easily use Tesla’s extensive charging network.
“Integrating the native NACS port into our vehicle architecture is an important step forward, reflecting our leadership in engineering and our commitment to providing our customers with more charging options,” said John Cockburn, OPTIQ-V chief engineer.
The V-Series designation gives Cadillac a lineup of performance versions of most of its vehicles, allowing it to compete with vehicles that carry the BMW M or Mercedes AMG designation. The sub brand is now in its fifth generation and has been around more than twenty years.
Cadillac had already announced that its LYRIQ EV would have a V-Series trim. Expanding that to the smaller OPTIQ was seen as a natural next move.
“We know our V-Series brands bring a younger, more affluent customer to our portfolio,” said Franz. “We expect OPTIQ-V to continue with that trend.”
The Cadillac OPTIQ-V is expected to have a starting sticker price of $68,795.