As The New Electra E5 SUV Is Introduced, EV Retooling Will Set Buick Dealers US$300,000

On the back of the Buick Encore GX and a few other models, Buick recently made an unexpected ascent on the list of the most dependable cars in the US. The first brand created by General Motors in 1908, the year Ford unveiled the Model T and began automating the car manufacturing process, has banked on the quick transition to electrification of vehicles to once again become a prominent player. As with many other iconic American names, the brand has a cult following in China, so it is not unexpected that Buick selected the country to unveil its first battery-powered SUV, the Electra E5, which is based on GM's Ultium platform. It features distinctive PURE design cues from Buick, a statement that it belongs to the brand's lineup of electric cars and, in the words of Cesar Toledo, director of sales and marketing at Buick, will herald in a new era for the firm there: The Electra E5 is the inaugural model in a brand-new lineup of Buick EVs in China that will become the industry standard in all popular EV classes. Through its innovative spirit and adoption of the most recent technological advancements in the industry, such as the Ultium platform, brand-new Virtual Cockpit System, and improved Super Cruise driver assistance technology, it fully embodies the brand's ongoing transformation. Customers will value this. [caption id="attachment_74916" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] (image: Buick)[/caption] Buick has promised to stop producing gas-powered cars when its first electric vehicle debuts in the US in 2024, therefore the Electra E5 will be the brand's first EV to bear the new tri-shield insignia. However, Buick dealerships that declined GM's buyout offer will have to spend up to US$400,000 to upgrade their locations with chargers and service equipment, as well as for staff retraining, before they can begin selling electric vehicles. It is unknown how many of the almost 2,000 Buick dealerships in the US will decide to stay independent, much like a third of Cadillac dealerships that received a comparable offer earlier and committed to investing about US$200,000 per location to usher in the luxury automaker's own EV era.