Buick’s electric flagship MPV arrives in China as PHEV, battery version to follow

Buick just dropped a massive new vehicle into the Chinese luxury market. The Electra Encasa is a new MPV that instantly assumes the flagship position in Buick's lineup. It is the first MPV to come out of the high-end Electra sub-brand, and it is the sixth generation of the brand's highly popular GL8 model.

Positioned as a mid-to-large vehicle, the Encasa is built on the "Xiaoyao" super fusion architecture. The new EV does not shy away from a premium price tag with the two available trim levels starting at $61,800 for the Premium Edition (RMB 439,900) and climbing all the way to $66,000 (RMB 469,900) for the Luxury Edition.

The Electra Encasa scraps the traditional grille that gasoline cars need, opting instead for a smooth, closed front fascia. This design choice highlights the headlights, which use seven different adaptive lighting modes to ensure the road stays bright and clear with wide-area illumination and a long-range beam.

Along the side, the vehicle maintains a stately presence. A single, straight waistline starts at the front headlights and runs without interruption all the way to the rear, where designers finished the look with a striking taillight assembly, embedded with 257 ultra-red LED lights. As a large MPV, the dimensions are substantial: the vehicle measures 17.26 ft long, 6.63 ft wide, and 6 ft high, sitting on a spacious 10.37 ft wheelbase.

The Buick Electra Encasa runs on what the company calls the "Xiaoyao Intelligent Drive" advanced assistance system. In charge of this operation is Qualcomm's latest SA8775P chip, which delivers 72 TOPS of computing power. The software side is powered by Momenta's R6 "flywheel large model algorithm" that gives the vehicle urban NOA (Navigation on Autopilot) assistance.

To make that system work, the vehicle uses a sophisticated sensor suite. This setup includes one long-range LiDAR sensor, three mmWave radars, twelve ultrasonic radars for parking and slow-speed maneuvers, and eleven high-definition cameras that constantly watch the road. If the driver is not paying attention, this machine certainly is.

Step inside the cabin, and you might wonder if you are getting into a vehicle or a mobile theater. The front row features three separate screens seamlessly integrated into the dashboard: a 10.25-inch screen for the driver's instruments, and two 16.3-inch screens - one for the central control system and another for the front passenger.

The screens keep coming for those in the back. Passengers in the rear cabin get a massive 21-inch 4K smart screen for multimedia viewing. The two main seats in the second row have their own dedicated control screens (5.5 inches each) which manage everything from seat adjustments and climate control to the onboard refrigerator and customizable rest modes. The system supports Bluetooth microphones and connections for gaming consoles, with sound delivered through premium Bose speakers.

At the launch, the Electra Encasa will be available in a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) configuration. This version combines a traditional 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, which produces 132 kW of power, with electric motors in what Buick has charmingly named the "True Dragon" hybrid system. For energy storage, the system uses an LFP battery, which allows the vehicle to run on pure electricity for shorter trips while the gasoline engine provides the flexibility needed for longer journeys.

The PHEV model will be followed by a fully electric version featuring an all-wheel-drive system powered by a dual-motor setup. A 200 kW (268 horsepower) motor drives the front axle, while a 130 kW (174 horsepower) motor handles the rear. Powering these motors is a CATL-sourced LFP battery, which comes in two capacities offering either 373 miles or 393 miles on a full charge.

Via