You probably remember seeing the Buick Electra-X EV concept last June. Well, the production model is now on sale in China, with prices starting at RMB 208,900 (US$ 30,420) for the standard-range version and RMB 278,900 (US$ 40,608) for the long-range version.
The production model retains the Shark nose-inspired front fascia from the concept, and I think that’s where the similarities end. I mean, the roofline in the concept is of a coupe-SUV, whereas in the production model, it’s more of a normal SUV roofline. And, at the rear, the taillights don’t have claws as those of the concept. There’s also no air curtain/fin-like element on the front fenders like there are on the concept. And of course, the wheel design doesn’t really match either, but you’ll probably be happy to know that they measure 20-inches and are aerodynamically optimized.
The SUV measures 4,892 mm long, 1,905 mm wide and 1,684 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,954 mm. For those still scratching their heads, the Buick Electra E5 is slightly larger than a Tesla Model Y but smaller than a Model X.
On the inside, as you can probably tell from the photos, there’s a curved panel on the dashboard with a total real estate of 30-inches and 6K resolution. Other highlights include wireless Apple CarPlay and Baidu Car connectivity; 5G capability thanks to Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip; front seats with floating headrests; 121-color ambient lighting; upgraded Buick QuietTuning (noise cancellation tech); 14-speaker Bose audio system; a wireless smartphone charging pad, and more. Luggage space at the back is claimed to be up to 1,658 liters.
The Electra E5 is gonna be the first Buick model in China to embrace an enhanced version of Super Cruise driver assistance technology. Hands-on Lane Centering Assist paired with Full Speed Range Adaptive Cruise Control can keep the vehicle driving in the middle of the lane and support automated acceleration and braking at a speed of up to 80 km/h (50 mph), the company said.
Moving on to the juicy bits of the story, the standard front-wheel-drive variant offers 180 kW (245 metric hp) and 330 Nm (243 lb-ft) of max figures. Interestingly, the long-range version offers a max power output of 150 kW (204 metric hp). The range-topping Avenir all-wheel-drive model boasts a permanent magnet asynchronous motor at the front and an induction motor at the rear, enabling a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 6.7 seconds. Buick didn’t bother sharing the output figures of the AWD model, but will update once the information becomes available. There’s the One-Pedal Driving function in addition to Discrete Regen-on-Demand (DROD) shift paddles.
The standard variant packs a 68-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that is estimated to offer a CLTC range of up to 545 km (339 mi), while the larger 79.7-kWh pack is estimated to offer a CLTC range of up to 620 km (385 mi).
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