Cadillac to begin sales of all-electric vehicle Lyriq in Korea

Hector Villarreal, president and CEO of GM Korea in a New Year press conference [Courtesy of GM Korea]

Cadillac, General Motors Co.’s luxury brand, will launch its first all-electric vehicle, the Lyriq, in the South Korean market in the first half of this year, according to the president and chief executive officer of GM Korea.

During a New Year press conference held in Seoul on Friday, Hector Villarreal, president and CEO of GM Korea, outlined the company’s business objectives for the year.

Villarreal emphasized the company’s commitment to broadening its reach with Korean consumers and strengthening its position in the market.

GM Korea plans to sequentially launch several models this year, including the Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Cadillac XT4, and Chevrolet Colorado. Both the Lyriq and Equinox EV are electric vehicles based on the Ultium platform, marking the beginning of a new lineup in Korea, according to the CEO.

Building on its profitable turnaround in 2022, GM Korea achieved its highest annual sales record since 2017, surpassing 460,000 units in local sales and exports last year.

In 2024, GM Korea aims to continue its upward trajectory by producing over 500,000 finished vehicles annually for the growing export market while also focusing on expanding its presence among domestic consumers.

In a bid to enhance customer service, GM Korea will open the Seoul Service Center in Yangpyeong-dong, Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, in July. Covering an area of 23,556 square meters, the service center will offer a one-stop solution for everything from vehicle maintenance to product experiences and purchases.

Expanding its focus on software-defined vehicles and connected services, GM Korea will also introduce the OnStar connectivity service in Korea.

OnStar, a connected service that uses a mobile application to diagnose vehicle conditions and provide features such as remote control and wireless updates, will debut in the first half of this year on the Chevrolet Trax crossover.

The service is expected to be applied to all upcoming models released in the Korean market.