- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr Ar He
Electric Buick for China
The joint venture of the Chinese company SAIC and the American GM presented the Buick Electra E5, the first electric Buick for China, a mid-size 5-seater SUV equipped with an electric motor with a capacity of 245 hp. The alphanumeric prefix in the name hints that the ‘Electra’ name will also include sedans and minivans. The new family will be based on the Ultium modular electric platform developed by Pan-Asian Automotive Technology Center (PATAC), jointly owned by GM and SAIC. The electric SUV will go on sale in the first half of 2023.
The name "Electra" was already used in the history of the American company in 1959-1990 for full-size luxury sedans, coupes or estates. In the 20th century, it was a classic American car, large, very powerful even in standard version, comfortable for driver and passengers.
It should be noted that Buick has been very productive lately, the brand is trying to return to the happy times before COVID, when it managed to sell more than a million cars a year in China (Buick could not achieve such indicators in the United States in this century). From January to October 2022, Buick sales in China totaled 538,428 vehicles, according to CarSalesBase, down 18% from the same period in 2021.
Exterior
Externally, the new Buick Electra E5 is similar to the Buick Envista coupe-like SUV introduced in China in August 2022. In size, the Chinese Buick is close to the well-known models in Israel, the Lexus RX or Volkswagen Touareg. The overall dimensions of the novelty are 4,892 × 1,905 × 1,655 mm (length x width x height), the wheelbase is 2,954 mm. The vehicle is made in the Pure corporate style, already demonstrated by the Electra-X concept. In general, the SUV looks like a typical modern Chinese vehicle with a long hood and short overhangs, as well as retractable door handles. The vehicle comes with 18- or 20-inch wheels.
Other information
We know that the new Buick E5 2023 will be equipped with a 245 hp engine, while its passenger compartment will accommodate 5 people. There are no interior photos yet. The equipment includes: a panoramic roof and LED headlights, a digital dashboard and the possibility of updating a multimedia system over the air. It should be noted that this SUV will be the first Chinese model with the Super Cruise autopilot, which previously only worked in the United States and Canada. More information will appear closer to the start of sales of the novelty.
In September 2022, the automaker introduced a new Chevrolet Equinox EV in the United States, which is an exact copy of the Buick Electra E5. Both SUVs are based on the Ultium modular platform, but the Equinox EV was developed in America and the Electra E5 was developed in China, taking into account the tastes and preferences of the Chinese audience, which does not rule out the possibility of supplying Chinese versions to the US market.
