The 2014 Cadillac ELR and the Chevrolet Volt are built on the same platform, powered by the same electric system, and, save some extra chrome work on the Caddy, look similar as well. So why Cadillac’s offering is more than twice the price of Chevy’s ($76K compared to the Volt’s $34K)?

The simple answer to that question is refinement. Cadillac ELR is first and foremost a luxury coupe that just happens to be powered by an electric motor backed by a range-extender gasoline engine. Being essentially an EV, the ELR is beautifully quiet when it moves. But the same quietness can be considered a weakness, as it means you the tire and wind noises are more perceptible than before.

To filter those annoying sounds, as well as the noise of the range-extender engine when it kicks in, Cadillac ELR comes with Active Noise Cancelling Technology. The system gathers data from three ceiling-mounted microphones, as well as censors in the powertrain, and then produces the appropriate noise-cancelling signal, which is delivered through the Bose audio system’s speakers and subwoofer.

This simple trick also eliminates the need for additional sound-deadening materials, which saves a few pounds. Nevertheless, the ELR is fitted with a variety of sound-buffering and -absorbing materials. It is a Cadillac, after all. It features:

• Acoustically laminated windshield and thicker front-door glass
• Liquid-applied sound deadener applied to the floor pan, trunk and roof
• Triple-sealed doors with acoustic perimeter water deflectors
• Mass-efficient sound-absorbing dash mat and carpet system
• Acoustic foam baffles inside body cavities and in between inner and outer quarter panels
• An isolated front suspension cradle with hydraulic powertrain mounts to isolate road and engine vibration