Buick is developing electric vehicles based on General Motors’ Ultium platform and battery technology and the Electra-X concept teased this week hints at what’s to come.
Set to debut in early June at a Buick brand event in China, the Electra-X is a follow up to Buick’s Electra concept from 2020 (shown below) and is described as an SUV styled in line with the brand’s latest design principles. Buick said those principles include clean, futuristic lines and light, airy interiors.
The concept will also come with Super Cruise driver-assist technology and a digital dash. No powertrain specs were mentioned but the previous Electra concept packed 583 hp and enough battery capacity for more than 400 miles of range.
Buick Electra concept
The previous Electra concept also used GM’s Ultium technology. Buick also showed a self-driving minivan concept in 2021 that also used Ultium technology.
The new Electra-X concept is said to specifically preview electric vehicles bound for China, though some aspects may also preview elements on Buick’s EVs destined for sale in the U.S. Buick has confirmed two Ultium-based EVs will be in local showrooms by the end of 2023, both of them SUVs. One will have conventional proportions, while the other will have a more coupe-like profile.
Don’t be surprised if one or both of the vehicles carry the Electra name. The name was a fixture in Buick’s lineup for decades. It first appeared for the 1959 model year and lasted until 1990.
