Buick on brink of electric shift

Buick has introduced its last new gasoline-powered vehicle.

Following the debut of the Envista subcompact crossover this year, every new model Buick launches will be an electric vehicle.

The brand will begin its transition to an all-EV lineup next year, heading toward the same 2030 target as Cadillac. Upcoming EVs will expand Buick's portfolio from only four nameplates in production now.

All future EVs will use the Electra naming convention, along with an alphanumeric, the brand has said. General Motors President Mark Reuss said at the automaker's investor day in November that "as we electrify Buick, we've got an opportunity to really change the way people think about it and appeal to a whole new group of people."

Buick leaders say that work is underway with its internal combustion lineup, including the Envista, which is the first all-new vehicle to draw design inspiration from the brand's Wildcat EV concept.

"Success of the Envista and the updated Encore GX and Envision are harbingers of how the brand transitions [to EVs], and success of them is key to keeping the brand alive in the U.S.," said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions.

Electric crossovers: Buick has said its first EV will arrive in 2024. It's not clear what Buick will bring to market first, but the brand confirmed the five-seat Electra E5 crossover for China late last year — while leaving room for the possibility that the E5 could come stateside. Forecasters say Buick does not appear to have plans to build an EV in North America next year but could import one to the U.S.

Reuss confirmed at GM's investor day that Buick will sell an Electra EV in the U.S. in 2024, though the smaller Electra E4 will be for China only. Buick also could sell an electric crossover slightly smaller than the E5 in the U.S. by 2027, as well as a large electric crossover, possibly with three rows of seating, in 2026.

Buick also could have at least one small crossover as soon as 2027 as part of a joint venture with Honda Motor Co. to build affordable EVs.

Enclave: Buick's largest crossover likely will be redesigned in the second half of 2024, shortly after the next-generation Traverse goes into production at GM's Lansing Delta Township assembly plant where both vehicles are built.

Envision: Buick's China-built compact crossover is being freshened this year with a new front-end design and the addition of GM's Super Cruise hands-free driving feature as an option. A redesigned Envision could go on sale in 2026.

Encore GX: The South Korea-built subcompact crossover, Buick's entry-level all-wheel-drive vehicle, was freshened this year with new technology and an exterior facelift. It could be redesigned in 2026.

Envista: Production of Buick's newest — and last — internal combustion nameplate began in May, and deliveries to dealerships are expected to begin in the second half of this year. The subcompact Envista, built in South Korea, replaces the Encore as Buick's entry-level vehicle and is marketed as a way to bring new and younger buyers into the brand ahead of Buick's all-EV transition.