The ELR coupe used to be Cadillac’s first attempt at a plug-in hybrid – the second is equally rare CT6 PHEV – And It was a spectacular failure. Only on the market for three years, only 2,958 ELRs were produced. Now, more than eight years after the last ELR rolled off the production line, they’re starting to appear cheap, and I may have found the cheapest ELR to date.
Several reasons have been given for the ELR’s failure, from its high price to its platform and powertrain being shared with lesser brands. Chevrolet Volt PHEV. Initially, in 2013 (first model year), Cadillac quoted a $75,000 MSRP for the ELR, spooking buyers and sending GM back to the drawing board — it was about $35,000 more expensive than a Volt. USD. And who can forget That Super Bowl commercial?
2015 model year ELR is not available. It came back in 2016 with some styling tweaks and an MSRP that’s over $10,000 cheaper, but that still doesn’t help. In early 2016, Cadillac announced the ELR would stop production.
Now ELR has become ridiculously cheap. Thanks to a tweet (h/t to @mike_m_klotz), I was able to find the cheapest ELR I’ve ever seen at a dealership in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The seller is called car pulse. If you skip the usual shopping interface here and get a feel for the site, you’ll see they have a great silver 2014 ELR with Kona Brown interior in stock for just $13,990. That’s a lot of car at a price that could tempt you into buying a heavily used Honda Fit.
Now admittedly, this isn’t the most perfect example of an ELR, but at this price you really can’t expect it to be. There are some issues, such as the fact that it has over 126,000 miles on it, which is a lot for an expensive PHEV. The dealership also does not provide its Carfax report, opting to use a CarStory report that shows everything and nothing at the same time.
The most obvious problem is the wheels. An astute observer on Twitter pointed out that the wheels on this thing don’t match up. The ELR has an optional Luxury Package that adds chrome wheels – this ELR has wheels from the Luxury Package in the rear and standard wheels in the front.
Still, this can’t be beat, especially for those looking for a fun, cheap commuter or even a second car for a family member. Its 37-mile all-electric driving range is plenty for around-town jaunts. The only downside to its powertrain is its long charging time, which even with a 240-volt charger can last up to 5 hours.
If this ELR isn’t right for you, you can find several other ELRs for under $20,000. They even appear on auction sites. Other ELR 2014 Just sold on Mang A Trailer for $15,500.
