PLUS: DeLorean EV concept, Chevy Bolt price cut, and Polestar 5 spotted in patent.
This week Buick finally shed light its long-term EV strategy, after years of rumors regarding when we'd see the first electric model from the brand. The company revealed quite a bit, including a new logo and plans to use the Electra name for its lineup of EV models, the first of which we'll see in just a couple of years.
"We'll be introducing a new vehicle which will be the first vehicle to wear the new logo next next year in showrooms and also the first EV in 2024, so that's fantastic," Duncan Aldred, global vice president of Buick and GMC, said earlier this week on a media call.
Those who have been following GM's electric roadmap for a while won't be surprised to learn that Buick's first EV will use the Ultium platform, shared with the Cadillac Lyriq and other GM models—and they can also guess the segment that it will occupy when it arrives.
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The Buick Electra-X concept previews an electric crossover not too dissimilar from the Lyriq. |
The main event of Buick's long-awaited reveal this week was the Wildcat concept—a sleek and spacious 2+2 electric coupe that made quite a few nods to Jet Age aesthetics. Of course, just how likely we are to actually see a production electric coupe from Buick is a different question, with the brand's Electra-X concept revealed for China this week perhaps serving as a closer preview of what buyers will actually see stateside in a couple of years.
That's right: Buick revealed a second concept this week, one intended for China where the brand has been a hit for the past two decades and where it offers a much more extensive lineup than in North America. The Electra-X crossover concept, penned in Shanghai, sits on the Ultium platform as well, and if you squint hard enough you can see a Lyriq-sized model underneath the sleek design.
Both concepts are worth a close look when it comes to design details and interior tech.
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Hyundai's EV lineup is growing, but the biggest challenge at the moment is fulfilling current demand. |
Speaking of EV lineups, a few days ago we went for a spin in all of the Hyundai's battery-electric and PHEV models in Nashville, while also hearing just how the automaker plans to grow its lineup in the coming years. The opportunity not only allowed us to compare the Kona EV and the Ioniq 5 side by side—a rare event—but also allowed us to take stock's of the brand's performance against gas-engined models from competitors.
Of course, Hyundai's current EV models are meant to be affordable. But while the Ioniq 5 and the Kona EV cater to shoppers looking for smaller crossovers, the automaker is busy making plans to expand its lineup.
It wasn't long ago that Hyundai revealed that it will be building an EV plant in the US, just as Hyundai and Kia finish up production plans for two large SUV models. Before they get here, Hyundai will have its hands full keeping up with the demand at a time when getting a new EV off the lot is a tall order.
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Few would claim that electric-vehicle charging has reached its full maturity, and concern about finding a place to plug in is still a deterrent to increasing the EV's market share. Deloitte's 2022 Global Automotive Consumer Study revealed reasons for not considering a battery-electric, and prominently cited by US car buyers were "driving range" and "lack of public electric vehicle charging infrastructure". Electrify America (EA) is trying to change the public charging picture. |
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By the end of 2022, the 80-year-old Jeep brand will cease sales of purely internal-combustion-engine vehicles in Europe, global CEO Christian Meunier revealed. Following the launch of Jeep's plug-in hybrid Wrangler 4xe in 2020, the company has experienced increased demand for EVs, especially in Europe. As 2022 ends, Jeep will focus on PHEVs and battery-electric vehicles for the European market. |
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