Cadillac cuts cords with wireless Powermat charging in the 2015 ATS

By Stephen Edelstein Published July 28, 2014

The latest luxury Cadillac will offer its customers is a lack of wires.

The 2015 Cadillac ATS coupe and sedan will get optional Powermat wireless charging when they hit showrooms later this year.

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The Powermat charger is a rubberized pad that sits in a storage bin behind a motorized center-stack panel. Provided a phone is wireless-charging enabled, it uses an electromagnetic field to charge the battery.

Cadillac isn’t the first carmaker to offer wireless charging; it’s been available for a while as an accessory from Chrysler’s Mopar parts division. But the upcoming launch of OnStar 4G LTE in the ATS makes the addition of this feature quite timely.

The system, which equips cars with a mobile Wi-Fi hot spot, can accommodate up to seven devices. Service will be provided by AT&T, and will be available on most General Motors vehicles before the end of the year. Wireless charging will be available on the 2015 ATS this fall, and on the CTS and Escalade shortly after that.

In addition to the new tech, 2015 ATS models equipped with the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine get a torque bump to 295 pound-feet. Along withe 272 horsepower, this should give drivers something to entertain themselves with while their phones are charging.

Stephen Edelstein

Former Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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