Buick to 'Fully Electrify' Its North America Lineup by End of Decade

Today, Buick isn’t part of the conversation when you talk about electric vehicles or sustainability, but that is slated to change in the next few years. The automaker, owned by General Motors (GM), plans to transition its entire North American lineup to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030. Its first EV is set to arrive in 2024 as a 2025 model.

Buick is the last of the four GM-owned auto brands—Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac are the other three—to roll out its electrification plans. The American automaker's largest market is China, where sales are five times that of the U.S. It says its electrification timeline for China will be after 2030.

While Buick hasn’t provided many details about its electrified future, it gave us a preview of what its EVs will look like with the Wildcat EV concept.

The Wildcat EV is strictly a design study, but according to Buick, the Wildcat “was developed to convey the all-new design language that will influence Buick production models for the foreseeable future.” What we have here is a sleek coupe that shows that even with the transition to electric, EVs can still look just as stunning and gorgeous as a traditional gas-powered car. It redefines what we expect a Buick to look like.

The concept also features new technology, like biometrics that can detect if the driver’s heart rate increases and automatically adjust vehicle settings to help lower their heart rate. It even has a Zen Mode that disperses calming aromatherapy scents and activates the massaging seats to create a calming environment for the driver.

“The Wildcat EV concept represents the real design future for the brand,” said Sharon Gauci, executive director, Global Buick and GMC Design in a statement. “Buick has always been forward looking and this expression is a glimpse of where we’re going, and the optimism we have for the limitless possibilities of an electric future.”

Since it’s strictly a design study, Buick did not release any details about an electric powertrain or specs. We will have to wait and see how much the Wildcat inspires Buick’s future lineup, but the carmaker has confirmed it will reveal two new models later this year that will take some design cues from the Wildcat.

It’s doubtful that we’ll see a production version of the Wildcat EV concept since the Buick only sells SUVs in the U.S. Buick confirmed its future EVs will revive the iconic Electra name, which dates back to 1959. The first Electra EV SUV will debut in 2024; it’s rumored it will be based on GM’s Ultium EV platform and be about the same size as the new Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV.

“The Buick brand is committed to an all-electric future by the end of this decade,” said Duncan Aldred, global vice president of Buick and GMC, in a statement. “Buick’s new logo, use of the Electra naming series and a new design look for our future products will transform the brand.”

If Buick’s new EVs look anything like the Wildcat EV concept, Buick’s electric future looks bright. In addition to its electrification commitment and concept, Buick is overhauling everything from its logo and brand identity. The automaker's move to go electric is a step in the right direction to offer those who need cars in their day-to-day lives more electric options.