By Janet Franklin 
Cadillac’s first fully electric car (EV), the Cadillac LYRIQ, has a complex and stylish look and uses cutting-edge technology to power its electric motor. The LYRIQ has several driving modes, including Tour, Sport, Snow/Ice, and My Mode. Each one changes the way the car drives in its own way. A lot of people who might want to buy or already own a LYRIQ wonder if changing between these driving modes changes how far the car can go and how much battery power it uses. This post will talk about how the different driving modes in the Cadillac LYRIQ affect the range, battery consumption, and general driving efficiency.
How to Use the Cadillac LYRIQ’s Driving Modes
Before going into the effects on the battery and the range, we should first go over what these modes actually do. Each mode in the LYRIQ changes a number of important things about the vehicle, including how quickly it speeds up, how strong the regenerative braking is, how stiff the handling is, and other things.
1. Mode for the tour:
The Tour mode is made for regular driving and finds a good middle ground between comfort, performance, and efficiency. When using this mode, the LYRIQ focuses on making sure that speed up is smooth, power usage is efficient, and general comfort is taken into account. The car uses less aggressive throttle response and more regenerative braking to make the most of the battery.
2. The Sport Setting
Sport mode is meant to make driving more dynamic and fast. In this mode, you get quicker throttle reaction and firmer steering, and regenerative braking may be less aggressive. This makes for a more engaging driving experience. This mode is for people who want to get the most out of the LYRIQ’s performance.
3. Mode for Snow and Ice
The goal of Snow/Ice mode is to make it easier to drive when the road is slick by improving grip and steadiness. This mode lowers the sensitivity of the throttle, changes how much power goes to the wheels, and improves traction control so that wheel slip doesn’t happen as much. Because of this, it puts safety and security ahead of efficiency.
4. My Way:
My Mode is a customizable mode that lets drivers change options such as throttle sensitivity, steering feel, and regenerative braking strength. This lets the driver customize the way the car drives to their own tastes. The effect on the range and battery life totally depends on the chosen custom settings.
How Driving Modes Affect the Battery and the Range
Now that we know what each mode does, the next question is: how do these modes change the vehicle’s range and fuel consumption? Let’s take it apart.
Tour Mode and How It Affects the battery
In the LYRIQ, Tour mode is the best way to save energy while moving. The response to the throttle is slower, so the car uses less power to speed up. Also, regenerative braking is used to its full potential to get back energy when the vehicle slows down. This means that the car is always trying to get back as much energy as it can, which makes it more efficient and gives it a longer range.
The LYRIQ keeps power demand low in this mode, which makes the battery work better. For instance, when driving on roads or in cities, Tour mode will favor smooth, steady driving that uses less energy than harsher modes.
Battery Drain and Sport Mode
On the other hand, sport mode is made to make driving more fun, so it usually uses more power. The vehicle’s throttle reaction is quicker and it speeds up more aggressively, which takes more energy. Also, regenerative braking is less harsh, so it recovers less energy when it slows down. When you put all of these things together, they make the battery run out faster.
When you drive in Sport mode, you give up efficiency for effectiveness. While the mode doesn’t change the vehicle’s range a lot, it does use more battery power than Tour mode. If you want to save power on a long trip, don’t use Sport mode.
Battery Consumption and Snow/Ice Mode
Snow/Ice mode makes the powertrain better at dealing with slippery situations, but it also makes the vehicle use energy more conservatively. The lowered speed sensitivity sends less power to the wheels, which leads to lower battery use. Snow/Ice mode, on the other hand, is more about keeping safe and in control when the weather is bad than maximizing range. The mode may lower the range because it accelerates less strongly and changes how torque is spread around. It can help save battery in the short term by limiting power draw.
For example, when there is snow or ice on the road, you might not be able to keep the same speed or driving patterns that you would on a dry road. So, you might see a small drop in the general range, even though the mode helps avoid wasting power.
My Battery and Mode Usage
My Mode offers a customizable way to drive, so the effect on range and battery life relies entirely on the driver’s settings. If you choose settings that favor efficiency, like softer throttle responses and stronger regenerative braking, My Mode can work in a way that’s similar to Tour mode, which helps to improve both battery life and range.
If you, on the other hand, like a sportier and more dynamic driving experience with quicker throttle reactions and less aggressive regenerative braking, the battery usage in My Mode will be closer to Sport mode. My Mode is flexible, so drivers can find a mix between performance and efficiency based on what they like.
Measuring the Effect on Range
Driving style, terrain, weather, and speed are just a few of the things that can affect the LYRIQ’s range. However, we can get a rough idea of how different modes affect the range based on general ideas of how EVs work.
Mode for Tours
In the best conditions (gentle speeds, low acceleration, mild temperature), the LYRIQ may be able to get the best range with Tour mode. If the LYRIQ has an EPA-estimated range of 300 miles (as seen in certain configurations), driving in Tour mode could bring you closer to or even past this estimate, especially if you drive efficiently. Under perfect conditions, the car will use about 25 to 30 kWh of energy per 100 miles.
Mode for Sports
The LYRIQ will probably have less range in Sport mode because it uses more power. Depending on how aggressively the car is driven, the range can go down by 10 to 20 percent. For instance, in Sport mode, a 300-mile range could drop to about 240 to 270 miles, especially when driving at high speeds with fast acceleration.
Mode for Snow and Ice
Even though Snow/Ice mode doesn’t work with range in mind, it might still help save some battery by limiting aggressive throttle action. But in Snow/Ice mode, the general range may still go down compared to Tour mode, especially if you can’t maintain a steady speed because of the road. The range will go down by different amounts based on how bad the weather is.
My Way
You can change how My Mode affects range. If the settings are adjusted to prioritize economy, the effect on range might be like Tour mode. But if the settings are changed to make the car more sporty, the range might go down, just like in Sport mode.
Useful Things to Think About
When you’re driving the LYRIQ, remember that driving mode is just one thing that affects the range. Here are some useful things to remember:
- Driving Style: How you drive, like how hard you speed up or stop, will have a big effect on the range. Even when you’re in Tour mode, moving aggressively can make your car less efficient.
- Terrain: Hilly or mountainous terrain will use more energy, no matter what drive mode you are in. Regenerative braking can help you save energy when you’re going downhill, but you might still have a shorter range on tough ground.
- Weather: Very hot or cold weather can make any EV’s range smaller. Cold weather can slow down a battery’s chemical processes, which can have a big effect on how well it works.
- Speed: The quicker you drive, the more energy you use. Sport mode can be fun for speeding up quickly, but it can also use more power at higher speeds.
- Climate Control: No matter how you drive, using the air cooling or heater can lower your range.
More things that affect the LYRIQ’s range and battery life
The LYRIQ’s battery usage is affected by its driving modes, but it’s important to know that other things can also affect the car’s range and energy use. Let’s look more closely at these other things that should be thought about along with the driving styles.
1. Driving Style: The Secret Factor That Affects How Well You Drive
No matter how it’s driven, a driver’s personal habits and style have a big effect on how quickly the LYRIQ uses energy. Generally, driving aggressively (like speeding, accelerating quickly, and stopping hard a lot) drains the battery much faster. On the other hand, moving more smoothly and carefully can help the range last longer, no matter what mode the vehicle is in.
The LYRIQ’s regenerative braking technology can help make things more efficient. When you drive slowly and use regenerative braking well, you can get more energy that goes back into the battery. This is most obvious when the car is in Tour mode, which is set up to get back as much energy as possible from regenerative braking. You can get the most out of the LYRIQ’s regenerative braking system by not speeding up too quickly and letting the car coast or slow down on its own.
2. Speed and Driving on the Highway
Driving faster uses a lot more power. This is true for all EVs, not just the LYRIQ. No matter what driving mode you use, going faster will use more energy when you’re on the highway or a long stretch of open road. Actually, Sport mode can make this effect worse because it makes people drive more aggressively.
For example, driving at a steady 60–65 mph uses less energy than driving at 70 mph or faster. If you want to get the most distance out of your battery, drive at a moderate speed and change it based on road conditions.
Tour mode is great for extending the range on roads. Tour mode keeps the LYRIQ’s power use pretty low when driving at steady speeds, which helps the battery last longer.
3. Temperature and Environmental Conditions
The LYRIQ’s battery works better in some places than others. Very hot or very cold temps can make the battery work less well. This is especially true in cold weather, where the battery’s chemical processes slow down, making it less efficient and lowering its range.
Tour mode might give you a better range in normal weather, but it will lose some battery in the cold, especially if you’re using the car heater or defrosters.
When it’s hot outside, the LYRIQ will also use more energy to cool the house. This can be especially bad for Sport mode because it makes the climate control system work harder to keep a reasonable temperature by using more power.
If you want to get the most out of your range in very bad weather, you should think about preconditioning the battery before you go. A lot of electric cars, like the LYRIQ, let you charge the battery while the car is still plugged in. This helps the battery reach the perfect temperature for moving, which makes it work better and increases its range.
4. Changes in the Land and Height
The type of ground you drive on also changes how much battery you use. When driving in hilly or high areas, especially when going up steep hills, the battery has to work harder. Regenerative braking can help get some of the energy back when going down hills, but going up hills usually takes more energy from the battery.
In Sport mode, the car may try to speed up more, which could use more energy on hills. But in Tour mode, the system will be softer and more efficient. It will use less energy when going up hills, which will help the battery last longer.
If you live in a hilly area, the car’s economy might go down in any mode, but Tour mode will still help by using energy more efficiently.
Making the Most of Your Battery for Long-Term Health
LYRIQ owners should do more than just change driving modes to keep their batteries healthy and get the most range over time.
1. Charging Patterns
Proper charging habits are important for keeping the battery healthy and getting the best range. Charging the battery too much or all the way to 100% all the time can stress it out and make it last less long. In the same way, letting the battery run out all the way can also make it last less long.
It’s best to charge the LYRIQ to about 80% every day and only charge it to 100% when you need to, like before a long car trip. This helps keep the battery from wearing out too quickly and makes sure you get the most use out of each charge.
2. Preparing the Battery
As was said before, preconditioning the battery can help it work better and go further, especially in very hot or cold weather. When you charge up the battery while the car is still plugged in, you use less battery power while you drive, which makes your energy use more efficient.
If you live where the winters are very cold or the summers are very hot, use the preconditioning option on your LYRIQ if you have it. This will make the battery work better and last longer when you start driving.
3. Regular upkeep
The LYRIQ needs to be taken care of often to make sure it runs well, just like any other car. Checking the tire pressure, brake fluid, and other important systems on a regular basis will keep the car in great shape, which will help the battery work better. Tires are a big part of how well everything works. Tires that don’t have enough air in them can make the car use more gas, so it’s important to keep them at the right pressure.
Conclusion
Yes, the Cadillac LYRIQ’s driving modes do use more battery and lower the range, but not by much. Other things, like how you drive, the weather, and the terrain, have a bigger effect. Tour mode is the most efficient and has the best range, but Sport mode gives up some of that range for speed. Snow/Ice mode helps keep you safe in slippery situations by controlling power delivery, and My Mode lets you customize your settings but might use more energy.
Tour mode is the best for people who want to get the most range, but Sport mode is more fun to drive even though it uses more energy. My Mode is flexible, but how it changes the range depends on how it is set up.
If you want to get the most out of your LYRIQ’s battery, you should usually drive efficiently in Tour mode with strong regenerative braking. But when you want to focus on speed, Sport mode makes driving more fun. Just know that the range will be shorter.