Buick Brings Back Electra Name for Futuristic Electric Concept

It’s not the gas-guzzling sedan you may remember.

Buick has resurrected the Electra, but it’s a far cry from the hulking flagship sedan that was sold over six generations from the mid-to late-1990s. 

This iteration of the Electra is a futuristic, all-electric crossover concept that was unveiled in China, where Buick reportedly holds a huge share of the automotive market, according to Autoweek.

“Today, Buick’s innovative thinking and imagination of future intelligent mobility have reached the next level with the Electra,” said Sam Basile, executive vice president of China’s SAIC-GM joint venture. “I am confident that the aesthetics and technology innovations reflected on the Electra will ultimately help reset consumers’ expectations, just as all previous Buick concepts have done.”

GM’s Ultium electric powertrain serves as the Electra’s propulsion system, which would deliver 410 miles on a single charge, 583 horsepower, and a zero-to-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds. These seem to be realistic specs, as GM previously announced that the  Ultium lineup of large-format, pouch-style cells will be capable of similar ranges and acceleration, notably in the 1,000-horsepower and sub-three second Hummer EV. 

“The advanced Ultium battery unlocks the exciting new possibilities for what future EVs will look like,”said Molly Peck, executive director of Buick Sales and Marketing at SAIC-GM. “The Electra fully leverages state-of-the-art technology to set a new standard for future EV design and personal mobility.”

The body and interior design are more radical, with a butterfly doors that unlock and open using facial recognition technology, a curved display that takes the place of any dials, buttons or other traditional instruments, and a retractable steering wheel that can be stowed in an autonomous drive mode. The wheels were also rendered with countless pieces of carefully cut, body-matched metal to be totally unlike anything you’d see on the road today. 

Even if the Electra enters production, it will likely debut in China. Autoweek adds that the Buick has become a Chinese-market brand over the past two decades, with its success there dwarfing U.S. sales. Take a look at this Cadillac for a more accurate glimpse at the future of General Motors’s U.S.-bound EVs.