Cadillac chief executive Johan de Nysschen has confirmed the ELR‘s imminent retirement.
The move does not come as a surprise, as the luxury plug-in hybrid has been a complete failure in terms of sales. The company sold just 1,024 units last year, down nearly 22 percent from the already-dismal 1,310 units pushed in 2014.
“I plan to continue admiring it as one of the most beautiful cars on four wheels,” de Nysschen said at a media event for the CT6, as quoted by Automotive News. “But we don’t plan further investment.”
Notably, de Nysschen once derided the Chevrolet Volt as a “car for idiots” when he served as Audi president in 2009. He later clarified that the ELR’s $75,000 price tag would likely lead to its downfall. The MSRP is approximately double that of the Volt, which shares the same platform.
Cadillac marketing head Uwe Ellinghouse last year claimed the company “wanted to make [the ELR] a statement … of how progressive we are,” but he admitted that its price tag was indeed “a mouthful.”
The company will now look to the CT6 plug-in hybrid to fill the gap. The electrified flagship sedan will be among several General Motors vehicles imported from China.
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