On April 13, Buick launched its first electric vehicle, Electra E5 mid-size SUV, in China. The car has a maximum range of 620 km under CLTC conditions, offers both 4WD and FWD options, and starts at 208,900 yuan ($30,400).
Buick Electra E5 is based on GM’s EV-dedicated Ultium platform. Buick announced that by 2025 they aim to launch five new EVs based on the Ultium platform in China. Electra E5 is the first, and the second will launch in the middle of the year. Buick didn’t specify more details, but CarNewsChina assumes it will be the highly anticipated electric sedan Electra E4, which MIIT revealed in January.
Buick also plans to build 600 premium charging stations in China and make another 400,000 EV chargers accessible to Buick owners. SAIC-GM intends to launch ten new models based on the Ultium platform by 2025 in China.
Electra E5 has Buick’s new EV design language with a closed grille, and sharp lights and features Buick’s new logo. Grille is decorated with water ripples, and dark chrome plating on the sides creates a sense of luxury.
E5 is a 5-door 5-seater. It has a body length, width, and height of 4892/1905/1655mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2954mm. Based on trim level, E5 offers a 68 kWh or 80 kWh NMC ternary battery from CATL-SAIC joint venture good for a 545 km or 620 km CLTC range, respectively. There are also three engine options – 180 kW, 150 kW, and 211 kW.
| Trim | Range (km) | Motor (kW) | Price (yuan) | Price (USD) |
| Electra E5 Standard Range | 545 | 180 | 208,900 | 30,400 |
| Electra E5 Long Range | 620 | 150 | 222,900 | 32,400 |
| Electra E5 Standard Range Enjoy | 545 | 180 | 225,900 | 32,900 |
| Electra E5 Long Range Enjoy | 620 | 150 | 239,900 | 34,900 |
| Electra E5 4WD Avenir | 603 | 211 | 278,900 | 40,600 |
As you can see from the table, the E5 Long Range model with an 80 kWh battery good for 620 km and a 150 kW motor would cost you 222,900 yuan ($32,400).
As for nice features, the charging port cover is electrically controlled, and hidden door handles can pop up when the owner approaches the vehicle.
Inside the car is a 30″ curved 6k display with a built-in Qualcomm 8155 chip and 5G technology. 14 speakers from BOSE take care of the audio experience. Every trim comes with a sunroof.
The trunk has 502 liters of space, which grows to 1658 liters if you fold the rear row of seats. Under the trunk cover, you will find an additional 4.5 liters of storage space.
Buick Electra E5 will be assembled in the new SAIC-GM plant in Wuhan.
Editor’s comment
GM bets a lot on China, as they have 10 joint ventures and over 50 thousand employees there. E5 SUV has a fair enough price-performance ratio, but the 200k yuan segment where it wants to compete is deadly – almost every relevant Chinese EV automaker recently launched a car in this sweet spot, so competition is brutal. Tesla Model 3 could talk about the pressure it feels in China.
What caught my mind was that many reviews of E5 mentioned that the car is pretty spacious inside, and even with a 186 cm tall person, there was still lots of space and comfort. That is not necessary for the Chinese market. Also, recently Carscoops reported that Electre E4 was spotted testing in the US in heavy camo. Could GM be thinking about bringing E5 overseas, or will it stay in China only? Let us know in the comments if you would like such a car on your market.
Buick really needs an EV in the US market. The sooner the better. However, I don’t know how that new front-end design will play in the American market. Anong GM shoppers, Buick are the most conservative.