Cadillac unveiled the production version of the ELR luxury electric car at the Detroit Motor Show a few weeks ago, and is now busy preparing it for launch. But the car is not due until early 2014. So engineers can take their sweet time over fine-tuning and refining the finished product.

American cars are often criticized for being less refined than their European rivals. To make sure that argument no longer holds water, at least in the ELR’s case, Cadillac has devised a series of tough testing programs for the car, including extreme weather condition test.

They recently sent the ELR to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where the engineers tested the car’s chassis and electric systems on more than four inches of fresh snow.

Systems tested and evaluated include ELR’s steering, tires, anti-lock brakes, traction control, electronic stability control and Continuous Damping Control suspension that adjusts damping every two milliseconds to maintain optimal control over varying road conditions.

“Being able to test the ELR in extreme road conditions, like those we experienced here in the U.P., allows us to provide a ride-and-handling character unlike any EV on the market today,” said Chris Thomason, ELR chief engineer. “During this latest test, the ELR continued to perform beyond our expectations.”