The ELR coupe was Cadillac’s first try at a plug-in hybrid — the second being the equally uncommon CT6 PHEV — and it was a spectacular flop. Solely in the marketplace for 3 years, solely 2,958 ELRs had been ever made. Now, greater than eight years after the final ELR rolled off the manufacturing line, they’re beginning to present up for reasonable, and I’ll have discovered the most cost effective ELR thus far.
Quite a few causes have been given for the ELR’s failure, from its excessive worth to its platform and powertrain that had been shared with the lesser Chevrolet Volt PHEV. Initially, in 2013 (the primary mannequin 12 months) Cadillac slapped a $75,000 MSRP on the ELR, which spooked patrons and despatched GM again to the drafting board — it was about $35,000 dearer than a Volt. And who can overlook that Tremendous Bowl advert?
There was no 2015 mannequin 12 months ELR. It returned for 2016 with some styling tweaks and an MSRP that was greater than $10,000 cheaper, however that also didn’t assist. In early 2016, Cadillac introduced that the ELR was going out of manufacturing.
Now the ELR has gotten ridiculously low-cost. Due to a tweet (h/t to @mike_m_klotz) I used to be capable of finding the most cost effective ELR I’ve ever seen at a dealership in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The supplier is known as Pulse Autos. Should you ignore the everyday purchase right here pay right here lot appear and feel of the web site, you’ll see they’ve a silver 2014 ELR with a superb Kona Brown inside in inventory for simply $13,990. That’s numerous automotive for a worth that will in any other case get you into one thing like a closely used Honda Match.
Now granted, this isn’t essentially the most good instance of an ELR, however at this worth, you may’t actually anticipate it to be. There are just a few points, like the truth that it has over 126,000 miles on it, so much for a dear PHEV. The supplier additionally hasn’t made its Carfax report accessible, opting to go for a CarStory report that claims every part and nothing on the identical time.
Essentially the most obtrusive drawback are the wheels. A keen-eyed observer on Twitter identified that the wheels on this factor are mismatched. The ELR had an optionally available luxurious bundle that added chrome wheels — this ELR has wheels from the Luxurious Bundle on the again, and the usual wheels on the entrance.
However nonetheless, this may’t be beat, particularly for somebody searching for an inexpensive, fascinating commuter, or perhaps a second automotive for a member of the family. Its 37 miles of all-electric driving vary is a lot for around-town jaunts. The one draw back to its powertrain are the lengthy charging occasions, which even with a 240-volt charger can nonetheless be so long as 5 hours.
If this ELR doesn’t be just right for you, there are just a few others that may be discovered for beneath $20,000. They’re even exhibiting up on public sale websites. One other 2014 ELR simply bought on Deliver A Trailer for $15,500.
