The last new combustion-powered Buick model will be introduced in 2024
That same year, the brand’s first Electra EV will arrive on sale
Buick will change its logo and its naming strategy in preparation for its first EVs
Buick, the oldest surviving American automaker, has just announced its plans for the future which involve becoming a fully electrified brand by 2030.
This commitment comes shortly after Cadillac, the other premium brand under the General Motors umbrella, announced it would do the same.
For Buick, this means that the last new gasoline-powered model will be introduced in 2024, the same year the brand will sell its very first electric vehicles.
In order to replace its current models, Buick will introduce several electric SUVs based on GM’s Ultium platform.
In order to modernize its image, something it has been trying to do many times over its long history, the brand will change its logo, starting as soon as next year.
In place of the three shields installed diagonally in a circle, a design that has changed very little since 1990, the new logo will feature three sleeker shields placed next to one another, in a single line. Unlike with every current model in the brand’s showrooms, this new logo will be mounted on the body of the vehicle instead of in the middle of the grille.
Another change will be made to the brand’s naming strategy since all EVs will be called Electra, followed by a number indicating their size or place in the range.
This follows a new trend set up by many other automakers, such as Polestar and Hyundai (Polestar 2, Polestar 3, Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6…) as well as calling back to the brand’s heritage.
Indeed, the Electra name, fitting as it is for an electric car, was originally applied to Buick’s top-of-the-line full-size sedans between 1959 and 1990, after which it was replaced by the Park Avenue and later the Lacrosse.
The brand’s new image will also be established with new typography and a new colour palette and a different approach to marketing, which could serve to bring in younger customers.
As of now, only one concept vehicle has been shown to preview what the upcoming electric vehicles from Buick will look like in North America, but the first production model is expected to be unveiled next year ahead of its debut for the 2024 model year.
