Uwe Ellinghaus, Cadillac’s chief marketing officer, told Bloomberg the controversial decision was taken because China is expected to be the CT6 plug-in hybrid’s biggest market by a long shot. The executive stated that the Chinese government offers generous incentives to convince consumers to buy a plug-in hybrid car in a bid to curb the nation’s air pollution problem. In the United States, plug-in hybrid models haven’t been gaining much traction because gas prices are at their lowest point in years.
Shown last year at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the gasoline-electric CT6 will be powered by a plug-in hybrid drivetrain made up of two electric motors each rated at 100 horsepower and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The three power sources will deliver a total output of 335 horsepower and 432 pound-feet of torque, enough to send the CT6 from zero to 60 mph in approximately 5.3 seconds.
Cadillac estimates the CT6 will return 65 MPGe when it’s driven with a light right foot. Alternatively, the electric motors will be capable of powering the CT6 by themselves for about 30 miles, though it’s important to note that the sedan hasn’t been officially tested by the EPA yet.
Production of the regular Cadillac CT6 will kick off shortly in General Motors’ Detroit-Hamtramck factory. The plug-in hybrid model will be built on the outskirts of Shanghai, China, and it will go on sale later this year as a 2017 model.
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