Traveling with an electric vehicle is most successful when you can slow down, live in the moment, and take things as they come. After two summers of successful EV road tripping, I’ve come to appreciate this aspect of it. It counteracts the tendency to pack every minute with activity. And when things go as planned, you’ve got more spare time for spontaneous experiences.
Our final road trip of the summer, tracing the north shore of Lake Erie from Windsor to London, hammered this point home. This part of Ontario really lets you choose your own adventure, with everything from sleepy beach days and serene outings in nature to high-energy theme parks on offer.
As we explored it over four days with the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq, we confirmed what we already knew from the rest of our EV road trips: traveling with an EV really isn’t as hard as some people make it out to be. However, we did encounter some hiccups on this drive that deserve attention to make the transition to electrics a more positive experience all around.
2024 Cadillac Lyriq review
Our vehicle for this road trip is the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq in its Sport 3 trim. With options, our unit’s as-tested price rings up at $97,374. That figure is for the Lyriq Sport 3’s $81,199 base price, plus $13,775 in options—including a Nappa leather package with wood inserts, all-wheel drive (AWD), a power-sliding panoramic sunroof, a charging module upgrade for faster Level 2 charging, and the red paint—plus the $2,300 destination charge.
We found several production quality control issues during our first encounter with the Cadillac Lyriq here at Driving.ca. After going through it with a fine-toothed comb this time around, the only problem we found was one slightly misaligned panel on the centre console. Since the vast majority of quality concerns appear to be addressed, we can examine the merits of the Lyriq more broadly. And in that context, the story has a much happier ending.
2024 Cadillac Lyriq: The pros
The Cadillac Canada website says the Lyriq offers 505 kilometres of range, regardless of factors like drivetrain and wheel size. This seems unusual but it does add up, at least anecdotally: our test unit shows a range of 486 km just shy of a full charge despite its AWD and 22-inch wheels. This is a very comfortable amount of range, even by luxury EV standards.
The Lyriq looks genuinely impressive on walk-up, although my teenager did comment on the door handles opening the “wrong way.” From their flush position, they extend out toward the front end of the car instead of the back, which takes some getting used to. Once you’re inside, the interior is beautiful, especially with the optional upgrades to add Nappa leather and wood inserts. The speakers integrated into the front-row headrests are a nice touch, too. And for a five-seat vehicle, the Lyriq is well-sized and spacious with a 793-litre cargo capacity behind the second row.
2024 Cadillac Lyriq: The cons
There are still some potential areas for improvement in the Lyriq. For example, the interface doesn’t give much feedback on how driving style is affecting range, such as whether gentler acceleration or braking might preserve more energy. This is somewhat common among premium EVs, so it’s possible consumer studies have found luxury buyers prefer minimalistic displays over arrays of information. They may change their minds on that, though, after driving EVs for a while and finding they don’t understand why they burn through more range than expected.
One more quibble: the charging port is at the driver’s side front quarter. This isn’t ideal in certain charging situations, which we’ll get into more detail about below.
Is the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq worth it?
As tested here in its most costly form, the Lyriq seems pricy. Not only is it too expensive to qualify for federal or provincial/territorial EV rebates, but its $97,000 price tag tiptoes on the edge of luxury tax territory. In the luxury segment, though, rebates aren’t an expectation, and a price that lands below the $100,000 luxury tax threshold can be considered a bonus.
Every trim on the 2024 Lyriq is offered with RWD or AWD, so choosing two-wheel drive is one way to save a bit of money if you wish (roughly $4,000 on average). You also don’t need to choose a Lyriq as optioned up as this one. The base price in Canada on the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq is $69,833 including fees, which is very reasonable for the segment and everything the Lyriq offers.
Getting started: A routine charging stop raises concerns
Our journey begins in Windsor this time around, where we’ll meet up with the west end of Lake Erie and follow its shores eastbound back to Port Stanley where we’ll turn north toward London. Our initial 365-kilometre straight shot across Highway 401 didn’t technically require a charging stop, but it made sense to plug in at an Ivy charging station while we took a break at an ONRoute for lunch.
Here’s where the Lyriq’s charging port position creates an issue. Ivy’s charging cables are shorter than average, and it took a couple of tries to park just-so and stretch the cable to its limit to make the connection. We could argue all day about whether the issue here is the cable’s length or the port’s position. Truthfully, both could probably be better. It doesn’t make much sense that charging providers need to account for port positions that are all over the place when they could be standardized. (We’ve been dealing with the left-side-right-side fueling issues in gas cars for more than a century. How did we not see this coming?) But also, charging providers should be anticipating this need by now. In this situation, just one extra metre of cable would make a world of difference.
Windsor-Essex: The southernmost point of mainland Canada
Southwest Ontario is a hub for outdoor experiences of all kinds, from parks and beaches to fascinating immersions into history.
On the banks of the Detroit River, Fort Malden National Historic Site offers musket demonstrations and a museum detailing the fort’s role in the War of 1812. Further south, Point Pelee National Park is a place we return to time and again. The thrill of standing at the southernmost point of mainland Canada, with the entire country expanding outward ahead of you, never gets old. A beautiful guided canoeing tour through the park’s marsh gives great insight into of Ontario’s most important and biologically diverse wetlands.
We were really in for a treat, though, as we arrived in Colchester and checked into the Grove Motel before taking a stroll on the beach. Every room at the Grove is decorated with a different theme. Imagine our surprise as we opened our hotel room door to discover we’d be sleeping “outdoors” instead! The beds are recessed into the floor to resemble camping mattresses, the floor is lined with turf, and the ceiling is covered with a galaxy of stars. The teenagers were thoroughly delighted.
Time-based pricing at Level 2 charging stations is a huge turn-off
There was just one problem. We plugged the Lyriq into one of the many available EV chargers when we arrived at the Grove, without doing any mental math or otherwise giving it a second thought. When we returned to the car the next morning, we discovered the charger’s 6-kilowatt charging speed and $5 per hour rate had resulted in a bill for nearly $75!
In the context of electric versus gas, this is what it would cost to fill the average Lyriq-sized SUV with fuel anyway. But relative to what EV drivers are used to paying, this rate is beyond exorbitant. This experience highlights how important it is to get charging stations switched over from time-based to delivery-based charging fees as soon as possible. When EV owners are burned by these unpleasant surprises, word gets out.
The one bright side is that this charge, expensive as it was, was pretty well all we needed to get us through the rest of our road trip.
Canadian Transportation Museum and Heritage Village: Worth the trip for classic car fans
If you find yourself in Windsor-Essex and you’re into classic cars, the Canadian Transportation Museum and Heritage Village is worth visiting. It’s got a museum hall full of interesting vehicles with local connections such as an 1893 Shamrock that may be Canada’s oldest registered car, and a truck that was the first commercial vehicle to cross the Ambassador Bridge when it opened between Windsor and Detroit in 1929. (The museum is hoping this truck can also be the first to cross the new Gordie Howe Bridge when it’s complete.) There’s also a 1950s-themed diner, a vintage motorcycle collection, and a separate building full of ambulances and other emergency vehicles gathered from points all over Southwest Ontario.
Behind the museum, the Heritage Village lets you explore historic buildings gathered from throughout Windsor-Essex, including a general store, barber shop, schoolhouse, train station, and several historic homes. It’s worth requesting a guided tour through both the museum and the Heritage Village to gain the best context throughout the exhibits.
Port Stanley: A hidden gem of a beach town
Southern Ontario is surrounded by Great Lakes, which means there are plenty of fantastic small towns famous for their beaches. It’s hard to believe there could be any Ontario beach towns left to be discovered, but if there’s one that qualifies for this title, it’s Port Stanley.
This relative hidden gem on the shores of Lake Erie is home to a beautiful beach with great summer amenities such as affordable cabana rentals and GT’s on the Beach, a standout beachside bar and grill. The many shops and restaurants downtown are wonderful to stroll through, from new and vintage clothing stores, gourmet food shops, art galleries, antique and high-end housewares and more. And since no beach town is complete without ice cream and a candy store, you’ll find these in Port Stanley, too. Book a stay at the Inn on the Harbour in a room with a waterfront view, and you’ve got yourself one fantastic weekend beach getaway.
We didn’t really need to charge in Port Stanley, but since there was a Level 2 charging station open at the beach parking lot and we planned to be there for a few hours, we decided to plug in. However, this station is also time based rather than delivery based. Since we had to pay once to park and then again to plug in at $2 per hour—which didn’t net much of a range increase in the end—this doesn’t offer a lot of value. This highlights a potential risk as smaller municipalities roll out charging infrastructure: if an unfriendly pricing structure turns users away, cities and towns may be inclined to blame a lack of demand when cost and value proposition are the real issues.
London: A fabulous family road trip destination
Is London the best road trip destination in Ontario for families with teenagers and pre-teens? We’d be willing to make a case for it. We set aside a full day for exploring London, and our time there was an absolute blast.
The Factory gets its name from its location: this attraction is based in a former Kellogg’s factory. It’s an indoor playground and so much more: a massive trampoline park with an ultimate warrior course, a virtual reality zone, a huge arcade, and a multi-storey indoor ropes course that’s touted as the largest on the planet! There’s also a smaller indoor playground for younger kids and a cafeteria and candy stand, making this a fantastic destination for families, no matter the weather.
On sunny summer days, head to East Park. You’ll find a waterpark with multiple slides and a wave pool, go-karts, an indoor arcade with bumper cars and a rock climbing wall, batting cages, and golf of the mini and full-sized varieties. You could spend an entire day at play here and still leave questioning whether you got to everything.
London’s got lots of great food options, too, from tacos at The Mule to a vegan menu at Plant Matter Kitchen, and a four-course prix-fixe meal at Grace Restaurant complete with wine pairings on par with what you’ll find in much larger cities. Even the Delta London Armouries is a cool place to stay: its blend of classic and modern architecture makes it feel like you’re staying in a well-appointed castle.
The Delta’s EV charger was in the process of being installed during our stay, which meant we left without a top-up. Another quick stop with Ivy at an ONRoute took care of it and sent us on our way home.
A few simple changes will make life with EVs easier
We’ve written several times here at Driving.ca about some of the myths around EVs that are holding people back from making the switch. This trip marks the first time your writer has encountered challenges on an EV road trip that are not misconceptions but genuine hurdles that might make potential buyers reconsider. EV advocates should latch onto these issues to help make the transition more appealing for the average driver.
The main point that needs action is changing the pricing structure at public charging stations from a time-based to a delivery-based system. There’s too much unpredictability around the current method, and stories of surprise overpriced charging sessions don’t help the electric vehicle cause.
The other is to either get EV automakers talking about better standardizing where ports are located on cars, or to make sure charging stations are equipped to handle a variety of setups. With the charging network already in flux as the industry starts its shift from CCS to NACS charging protocols, this is an ideal time to start these discussions in earnest.
This final EV road trip of the summer of 2024 proves the same point as the rest. These issues were minor inconveniences, and we never came close to the horror stories like busted charging stations and stranded vehicles. Overall, there are still some challenges for the late-stage early adopters to overcome, but as a whole, road tripping with an EV is often not as stressful as it’s made out to be.
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