The future of Cadillac design just picked up another trophy. The Cadillac Elevated Velocity concept has been named Best Concept Vehicle for 2026 by EyesOn Design, a respected group made up of leading automotive designers and educators.
This marks the second straight year Cadillac has taken the award, signaling strong momentum in the brand’s forward-looking design strategy and reinforcing its push into high-performance luxury electric vehicles.
A performance luxury EV vision with V-Series DNA
Cadillac positions the Elevated Velocity as a high-performance electric 2+2 ultra-luxury crossover concept inspired by the brand’s V-Series performance heritage. The vehicle blends performance ambition with upscale comfort, aiming to show how future Cadillac EVs could merge speed, refinement, and everyday usability into a single platform.
According to Cadillac design leadership, the concept represents both engineering ambition and emotional design. The name reflects that dual purpose: “Elevated” refers to both passenger experience and the crossover’s taller ride height, while “Velocity” signals performance capability across paved roads and rougher terrain.
Design language that previews future production models
The Elevated Velocity concept carries forward key styling themes already seen in Cadillac’s current flagship EVs. A long-hood silhouette maintains classic luxury proportions, while the raised stance and massive 24-inch wheels create a planted, performance-ready presence.
One of the concept’s biggest visual statements comes from its gull-wing doors, which open to reveal an interior focused on bespoke craftsmanship and high-end material execution. The cabin is designed to feel more like a tailored environment than a traditional vehicle interior, reinforcing Cadillac’s ultra-luxury positioning.
Concept vehicles as a roadmap for Cadillac’s electric future
Concept cars traditionally serve as design laboratories, allowing automakers to test styling, materials, and technology ideas years before production. For Cadillac, the Elevated Velocity helps illustrate where performance-focused electric crossovers could head next.
The brand already fields high-performance electric crossovers within its lineup, and this concept suggests Cadillac intends to keep pushing performance boundaries even as it expands deeper into EV territory.
Design recognition from within the industry
Leadership at General Motors says recognition from the design community carries special weight. The project involved multiple teams, including Cadillac’s primary design studio, the Pasadena Advanced Design studio, industrial design teams, and fabrication specialists who helped translate sketches into a full concept vehicle.
Industry recognition like this often signals strong internal confidence in a design direction, especially when awards come from peer designers rather than consumer voting.
Why this matters for Cadillac’s brand trajectory
Winning back-to-back concept awards helps reinforce Cadillac’s strategy of combining heritage performance identity with next-generation electric architecture. It also positions the brand as a design leader during a period when EV competition is shifting from raw specs to emotional appeal and luxury experience.
If elements of the Elevated Velocity eventually reach production vehicles, they could shape Cadillac’s performance EV identity well into the next decade.
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