Cadillac is capturing a growing EV market share as more consumers, including a rising number of Tesla owners, switch to the General Motors luxury brand. So far this year, nearly 8 out of every 10 Cadillac EV buyers are new to the brand, with Tesla trade-ins accounting for about 10% of those purchases. For the Cadillac Lyriq SUV specifically, Tesla trade-ins have surged to roughly 25%, up from previous levels of 10% to 15%.
The uptick in what the industry calls customer “conquesting” comes as Cadillac builds out one of the market’s most comprehensive luxury EV portfolios. Its current electric lineup includes the entry-level Optiq, midsize Lyriq, three-row Vistiq, full-size Escalade IQ, a performance Lyriq variant, and the ultra-luxury Celestiq, which is priced at over $300,000.
The growing interest from former Tesla owners also coincides with a period of declining sales and mounting backlash for Tesla, as CEO Elon Musk’s public support for President Donald Trump and participation in the alleged Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) stirs consumer pushback.
Cadillac has avoided speculating on whether political factors are driving the trade-ins, stating that its gains are based on vehicle quality and consumer appeal. Still, the brand sees further opportunity to attract Tesla customers as it rolls out more models across different price tiers and performance levels.
Despite these gains, Tesla vehicles have not appeared among the top 10 most cross-shopped models against Cadillac EVs over the past six months, according to Edmunds. The data suggests that many consumers leaving Tesla are not comparing it to Cadillac directly, but are instead making a clear decision to exit the brand altogether.
While Tesla’s top-selling Model 3 and Model Y are generally categorized as mainstream vehicles, Cadillac is targeting the premium segment and aiming to become the top luxury EV brand this year, excluding Tesla, though its higher-end Model S and Model X are often classified as luxury.
With the launch of the Vistiq, Cadillac has completed a full SUV EV lineup and is positioning itself as a leader among traditional luxury brands in the EV space.
