As part of General Motors‘withdrawal from the EV market, Buicks First electric vehicle will not come to the US in 2026 as expected. GM Director Mary Barra, speaking to analysts on the second quarter results, provided an overview of what’s in store for the US and China. Speaking about Buick, she said: “(We’ve) also made adjustments to ensure we have a balanced approach as the market evolves, including delaying Buick’s first electric vehicle, which was planned for 2024.” The premium brand announced a battery-powered vehicle for the U.S. market two years ago, we expected it to be a version of The Chinese Electra E5When it was introduced in China in March last year, long before it hit the market, Imagine Moving up the trim line, the E5 added features like a 30-inch EyeMax curved LCD screen, a 12.6-inch head-up display, 121 to colour from mood lighting, wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless phone charging.
On top of the slowdown in electric car sales growth compared to more traditional market growth, the current presidential administration has imposed a 100% import tariff on electric cars imported from China.
It’s unclear when a Buick EV will get the green light, and the shifting schedule of additional EV pickup production is also an open question. For now, Factory Zero will be able to make enough electric Silverado and Sierra.
As automakers figure out the next few years, GM still has new products on the way, but more importantly, another big player at the crucial entry level. Barra told callers, “Over the next few months, GMC will be the launch of the Sierra EVand the Cadillac Lyriq is joined by Optiq, Spades IQ and Celestiq. We’re especially excited about the Optiq. Car and Driver said it executes the compact luxury SUV formula perfectly. Next year, if we follow the Celestiq, Cadillac will have a beautifully designed EV in every global luxury SUV segment. We’re going to focus on winning new customers with these nameplates, and with the next generation as well Chevrolet Bolt EVbecause they represent the greatest growth opportunities for us.”
The delay also gives GM time to further develop its Ultium battery chemistry and help in building the Ionna fast charging networkthe chargers a joint venture with BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Come onand Mercedes-Benz.