Experts stunned as Cadillac soars past competition for shot at industry leader: 'We're building the best … we've ever built'

The slogan of "not your father's Cadillac" has taken on a whole new meaning as the luxury automaker's electric vehicle sales have skyrocketed.

After years of struggling to redefine its brand, Cadillac appeared to have found its niche in the luxury EV market. 

Despite the continuing popularity of gas-guzzling models like the Escalade SUV, over the first half of the year, a quarter of all Cadillacs sold was EVs, according to CNBC. In the months since, that share has grown to nearly a third of all of Cadillac's sales.

These figures show that Cadillac has thus far surpassed the competition, far exceeding industry-wide numbers that have EVs making up just 6% to 8% of automaker sales, CNBC reported.  

"They're now beyond where we expect the industry to be five years from now," said Tyson Jominy, vice president of data and analytics at J.D. Power, per CNBC. "So they're moving very quickly into that space." 

Better yet for Cadillac, 80% of the cars being traded in for Cadillac EVs have come from brands that Cadillac has long been chasing in the luxury market. This includes even other EVs, such as Tesla, which have accounted for a full 10% of trade-ins, according to CNBC.

Cadillac has ascribed this momentum to the quality of its vehicles. "We're building the best Cadillacs we've ever built," said John Roth, a Cadillac executive, per CNBC.

The growth in Cadillac's EV sales has also been good news for the environment and public health. 

According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, over their lifetimes, EVs are responsible for considerably less planet-heating pollution per mile than gas-powered vehicles. 

Additionally, gas-powered vehicles release carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter, all of which pose a threat to human health, especially among vulnerable populations such as children, per the California Air Resources Board.

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Besides the environmental and public health benefits, driving an EV can also save thousands of dollars per year on fuel costs, according to the Department of Energy. 

Installing solar panels on your home can take the environmental, public health, and cost-savings benefits of driving an EV even further. Charging an EV from home solar is cheaper than doing so off the grid or at a public charging station, plus it guarantees that your car is being powered by cleaner, renewable energy from the sun. 

EnergySage makes it easy to compare quotes among local solar installers and to take advantage of tax credits and other incentives, saving customers as much as $10,000. 

However, with federal tax credits for EVs ending Sept. 30 and solar tax credits expiring Dec. 31, you must act soon to take advantage.

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