The Buick SUV/Crossover EV is supposed to be announced this week at the Beijing Auto show. I came across this on youtube. I don't know if this video is just an artist rendering or if the poster accidentally leaked photos early. But I can see some similarity between the images used for this video and the styling of previous buick ev concepts/leaks. The back end perfectly matches the teaser image from Buick... interestingly the charge port is on the rear, however. Typically GM places this on the front end of the vehicle. From Video: Previous EV Concepts:
https://insideevs.com/buick-enspire-electric-suv-370-mile-range/ Inside EVs article posted as I was typing! https://www.noticiasautomotivas.com.br/buick-revela-na-china-crossover-hibrido-velite-6-e-conceito-enspire/ Some additional photos of the Velite 6 and Enspire! Lots more photos at the above link. Velite 6 Enspire
Man, this is the best thing out of GM's electric design department in a while. 0-to-60 in 4 seconds and (very optimistic) 370-mile range is pretty awesome too! You'd have to think they'd sell this in the US, right?
It is Buick I would consider buying, if not outrageous price wise. But with specs like that sounds expensive.
I sure hope they intend to! Although it may not be a Buick in the US. Yeah, it probably would be pretty pricey. But like a lot of luxury cars, the starting price is usually low. Adding options is where they getcha. Awesome video produced for the car. Obviously a concept but it has some ideas that I haven't seen GM discuss previously. Video is worth a watch! (But I'm a sucker for ambient electronic music. ) - Wireless Charging - Stow-able steering wheel - "Grill" is an OLED screen for communicating with pedestrians - Clearly the idea here is complete autonomy
Uh-oh! The video was taken down by the poster. Maybe these were leaked early... Here is another version of the video.
Motor1 has a bunch of shots of it up now, though there's not a whole lot of information. It's like the shertest press release ever. Basically, 410 kW, 0-60 mph in 4 seconds Up to 370 miles on a single charge (not really though. Probably under 300 miles.) Supports both fast and wireless charging — the battery can be charged to 80 percent of capacity within 40 minutes.
It's such a fantastic looking car. If it doesn't come to market in some form it would be a travesty! So far, most GM EV concepts have actually come to market so I'm hopeful. (We're only really waiting on the FNR-X/Volt crossover... )
In GM's "20 EVs by 2023 & 2 in the next 18 months" statement you have to wonder what their next two EVs are going to be...An EV insider stated one will be a Buick Encore-like vehicle which will look like the 3rd photo (1st "image" is a video) in the first post...We did hear at a Chevy Vegas conference that there's a performance SUV-like EV was in the works, yet I haven't heard one way or another if any additional details to whether the speaker said it would be or would not be a "Chevy" or not...If its a Chevy that could be the FNR-X and this Enspire probably was based on the FNR-X...If vehicle the Vegas speaker mentioned ends up not being one of GM next two EV, perhaps the next would be a Velite 6-like vehicle...We're only 11 months away from when the 18 month statement was announced, I'm somewhat surprised they're able to keep the next two under wraps with it being so close to launch...At this point I'd take a Vegas bet that one will be the Encore-like vehicle and the other will be either compact SUV performance vehicle or Velite 6-like vehicle which could be the evolution of the Volt evolving from a compact liftback PHEV to a hatchback EV
I think you will be wrong on the actual range... When this comes to market I am guessing GM is targeting 400 Miles of range, and just grabbed a number below that so the production model can impress... Like Bolt going from 220 to 238 when tested by the EPA I think we will see the production model in 2019, maybe Beijing again.... On typical GM schedule, and then release a year after in late 2020, as a 2021 model? This is the first car on the new GM BEV architecture.
Happy to be wrong about that, but I suspect the 370 mile range they suggest is based on a cycle that is much less realistic than the EPA's.
Thats not typically how GM does business, they are usually conservative in their claims as they were on Volt, Bolt, etc... Bolt was one of the few EV's that regularly makes its EPA range. Tesla S and X struggle just to make the EPA range. Model 3 is still too easy to say, but looks much better. You know it does not make sense to show a concept with an inflated range, then reduce it when you come back with the production model... talk about a buzz kill....
True. But since this is meant for the Chinese market (at least, at first) I took it that they were using a Chinese drive cycle. As I said, though, I'm very happy to be wrong about this. It's a fantastic looking car and even with a 300-mile range would be very welcome.
WOW! The front-end design is -- dare I say it? -- "enspired"! The back end is more of a "meh" for me, but at least it doesn't make me think "OMG! What was GM thinking?!?", like the Bolt EV. If this is the production car and not just a concept, then Buick might have a solid hit on its hands! Go Buick! If it's 370 miles on the Chinese test cycle, then we can be sure that 370 mile range is quite inflated indeed, and an EPA range would be significantly lower. EDIT: I see Domenick already said that. Well, Great Minds Think Alike... (...and so do ours! )
No, GM lately "got religion" with claims for the Bolt EV. I hope that will become a trend from GM, but it's not a trend yet. GM fans would like us to forget that GM touted the Volt before production as "up to 50 miles" of EV range -- the 2010 Volt came in at 35 miles of EPA range -- and GM shamefully advertised the ridiculous "230 MPG" rating the EPA gave the 2010 Volt before the EPA fixed their ratings system for PHEVs. Claiming 230 MPG for the Volt: Not GM advertising's finest hour
I think GM is going to build the upscale BEV SUV's in the USA, looking at their factory plans I think as they phase out a few slow selling, low profit models, Lansing Grand River is where I think they are going to build the new EV's, as that factory is nearly new, and way underutilized.
It's a myth to assume there's a "magic" range number that will make the majority of people jump from an ICE to an EV...If this were the case, no one would be buying ICE BMW M3s/M5s, etc and the Bolt EV would be a sale juggernaut...Right here on IEVs we learned that 80% of EV owners LEASE them which contributes to people not caring about battery degradation, long term maintenance, etc...Overwhelming majority of the Joe Q Public have "Charging station anxiety" as they simply fear the unknown...Like anything, it's going to be a very slow transition and its quite possible by the time 51% of all vehicle sales in the US are EVs people could be progressively abandoning vehicle private ownership in favor of using a ride hailing service to request a self driving pod...
I agree with most of what you say... I watch my friends, all fairly wealthy and can afford most any car they want they are still buying ICE. It is our just as EV owners to get the word out and show them that an EV can fit in their life. ~
