The 2026 Cadillac Celestiq price increase is one of the largest ever in the automotive industry. Is this Caddy really worth an additional $60,000?
Cadillac’s ultra-luxury electric flagship just saw a massive price jump for 2026. The Celestiq now has a $400,000 starting price, up $60,000 from the 2025 model’s $340,000 starting price. That puts it squarely in Rolls-Royce territory.
What makes the Cadillac ultra-luxury electric sedan more expensive?
The price bump comes with some additions: the premium smart glass roof is now standard instead of optional, and buyers get eight years of connected services included. Cadillac also says they’ve streamlined the Celestiq customization options to make ordering easier. The Celestiq is a hand-built Cadillac flagship produced in limited numbers as a showcase for what Cadillac can do at the highest level.
The 2026 Cadillac Celestiq price increase brings power and tech at the highest level
It rides on GM’s Ultium platform as a luxury car with dual motors producing 655 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque. That’s enough to hit 60 mph in 3.7 seconds when you activate Velocity Max mode. The car comes loaded with tech, including Super Cruise, four-wheel steering, a pillar-to-pillar HD display, a 38-speaker audio system, and even heated armrests. Inside, you’ll find 3D-printed parts, adaptive air suspension, and Magnetic Ride Control 4.0.
What makes each Celestiq unique is the customization of the Cadillac bespoke vehicle program. Buyers can choose from custom paint colors, multiple upholstery options, special trim accents, and more. Cadillac claims that no two cars will be identical. The company sold all 25 of its 2025 models and opened the order books for 2026, though production numbers will stay low. This isn’t meant to be a volume seller but rather a limited production luxury EV that is a statement piece showing off American luxury craftsmanship in electric form.
Going the ultra-luxury route
Cadillac builds its Rolls-Royce electric competitor to be a high-end, ultra-luxury electric sedan that makes a huge statement for the brand. The 2026 Cadillac Celestiq price increase shouldn’t be a huge surprise to many; only a few customers can afford this vehicle, and only a few will buy it. Those who do buy such a vehicle often don’t worry too much about the price posted for the vehicle, but want to be one of the 25 people who get to own it.
Like many other bespoke programs, new owners get to work with designers to choose the right materials, colors, and features for their vehicles. The overall feel of this EV is a retro-futuristic model that brings design cues from the past to blend with the modern and futuristic items available. There’s seating for only four passengers in this EV, and each one has controls for their own climate area and soundscape through the use of a touchscreen. There’s also a cockpit-spanning display at the front, giving the Celestiq an amazing look that feels like it’s been pulled from a science fiction movie.
How far can you go?
The power offered in this electric flagship sedan is impressive, and the driving range is more than adequate to give drivers the distance they need. Owners won’t achieve the same driving range as the Lucid Air sedan or Tesla Model S, but you do have up to 303 miles of driving range on a full charge. This should be more than enough for most daily driving duties, and the batteries can be recharged by adding 75 miles of range in only 10 minutes at a DC fast-charging station.
The 2026 Cadillac Celestiq price increase brings you a hatchback
We’ve called this flagship electric Cadillac a sedan, because it’s not your traditional hatchback, but the Celestiq has an elongated rear roof to create a large cargo space. This means you have more room for stuff you want to take on your road trip than you would have in a traditional sedan. This puts the cargo area between a sedan and an SUV, making the Celestiq a hatchback, but don’t say that too many times. Most high-end shoppers aren’t looking for a $400,000 hatchback, but will certainly be glad to have a leather-lined cargo area with metal inlays on the floor to provide a great place for their luggage.
The 2026 Cadillac Celestiq price increase is significant, and much more than you will find for any other vehicle, but it shouldn’t cause shoppers to avoid it. The Celestiq could use a much longer driving range, but it has all the luxury niceties to be one of the most incredible top-end EVs on the market.
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