Has Cadillac Found The Answer To Luxury EV Skepticism?

Electric vehicles still face one stubborn obstacle: getting new drivers behind the wheel.

Cadillac may have found an answer. A TikTok video showing the automaker’s white-glove service reveals more than just convenience. It hints at a deliberate strategy to convert luxury SUV owners into Lyriq loyalists.

Happy Cadillac owner Blessed with Des (@blessed.with.des) watches her Escalade being driven away for maintenance in a recent TikTok clip, which pans over to an electric Lyriq waiting for her to try as a temporary option until “my baby” returns from its service visit.

Cadillac’s courtesy service program isn’t new, but handing over the keys to a brand-new Lyriq as a temporary loaner? That’s a level-up move designed to impress. The luxury automaker’s Premium Care program includes perks like vehicle pickup and delivery for service, scheduled maintenance, and roadside assistance for new vehicle owners.

The concierge-style treatment seen in the TikTok video aligns with how Cadillac has been positioning the Lyriq since launch: not just as a vehicle, but as part of a broader luxury lifestyle. The brand has promised “personalized assistance from a Cadillac EV concierge” to answer customer questions and provide charging support, and it has made dealership experience upgrades a key part of its strategy to compete with EV-native rivals like Tesla and Lucid.

Turning EV Curiosity Into Commitment

For many luxury SUV owners, switching to an EV still carries hesitation, with persistent concerns about charging, range, performance, and learning curve. But getting a Lyriq in their driveway for a few days may be the best way to overcome that.

According to a 2023 J.D. Power study, EV consideration increases significantly after a hands-on driving experience, even among skeptical or unfamiliar buyers. That makes Cadillac’s strategy tactical, giving Escalade drivers a taste of quiet cabin luxury, instant torque, and regenerative braking to showcase the Lyriq as a futuristic sibling.

And based on the tone of @blessed.with.des’s clip, it’s working. While she lovingly refers to her Escalade as “my baby,” she seems pleasantly surprised by her first EV experience, capturing a key brand goal of reducing EV anxiety through EV intimacy.

What Lyriq Owners Are Actually Experiencing

While Cadillac’s luxury-forward service model is designed to reduce friction, actual Lyriq owners report a mix of satisfaction and frustration regarding maintenance and support. Common themes in user forums and r/CadillacLyriq include slow service appointment availability, software-related bugs, and delays in sourcing Ultium-specific parts. 

Some of these delays reflect the growing pains of the organization. In 2020, more than 150 Cadillac dealerships nationwide opted out of the brand’s EV transition, choosing buyouts over the cost of training and equipment upgrades necessary to service Ultium-powered vehicles like the Lyriq.

Like most electric vehicles, the Cadillac Lyriq requires significantly less routine maintenance than its gas-powered siblings. With no engine oil, spark plugs, or transmission fluid to worry about, typical service intervals focus on tire rotations, cabin air filters, and brake inspections. EVs also benefit from regenerative braking, which can extend the lifespan of brake pads by reducing friction wear.

But that simplicity comes with a digital tradeoff. As Cadillac packs more functionality into the vehicle’s software stack—ranging from adaptive cruise control to charging optimization—software updates and system resets have become a frequent reason for service visits. While the Lyriq supports over-the-air updates, users have flagged issues with updates failing to install correctly or introducing new bugs. In some cases, dealers have had to perform a full module reflash or manually restore infotainment functionality, tasks unfamiliar to traditional service techs.

For drivers like @blessed.with.des, Cadillac’s service model delivers exactly what many luxury customers want: convenience, courtesy, and a hint of exclusivity. However, as more drivers switch to electric, the brand’s ability to scale the white-glove experience will face real tests. Between dealer opt-outs, supply chain challenges, and an evolving software ecosystem, Lyriq maintenance in 2025 remains a blend of cutting-edge convenience and transitional friction.

That said, Cadillac continues to invest in its EV roadmap. The company has committed to launching three new electric models by 2026 and is working to bring Ultium-certified tools and training to all participating dealerships.

InsideEVs reached out to the creator via direct message.