Once upon a time, there was a female superhero named Electra. She came in the form of a massive Buick that was sold to consumers since the late ’50s. Now, her reincarnation may come in the form similar to a very familiar superhero — the Chevy Volt.
Here’s what we know: General Motors once again trademarked the name Electra in a vehicle category of some sort. The name was last used in 1990, and hasn’t been seen on a model since. Back then, the Electra was a far cry from something that can harvest energy from a three-prong outlet. But these days, the Electra moniker sounds like a perfect fit for a vehicle with a Voltec powertrain. Secondly, this isn’t the first time a Volt-related Buick was thought to be in the works. But there’s still no official word on the matter, and sources have not confirmed anything to us one way or the other.
There’s also the Chinese factor to consider. Since Buick is a respected name in China, and is gaining respect once again in the U.S, the would-be Electra may pose itself as a premium Volt option for those with a bit of extra cash. The Buick brand in China outsells the stateside one 4:1, so the Electra would more than likely be sold there as well. A premium model with a Voltec powertrain would also help with economies of scale, as its inevitable $40,000 price tag wouldn’t be unreasonable for a Buick.
Comments
I hope to God it doesn’t look like the Volt
There’s already a premium Volt option for those with a little bit of extra cash, the Fisker Karma. Isn’t that what the ELR is for? I certainly get the argument for China, not sure how it will play in the states though. Would this be coming out with Voltec 2.0?
They could position the Buick in the same way the position the entire brand: soft, refined, finessed luxury… while the ELR would have a performance-oriented driving experience, albeit with a green element.
Can the Volts battery and electric stuffs be fitted with a bigger engine? If so, they could mate it to the new 2.5L I4 and have an Impala sized electric sedan. So then you’d have the four door compact sedan Volt, the sporty, expensive, 2+2 ELR coupe, and then the big, comfy, soft and plushy luxo cruiser that also happens to be an electric car Buick.
GM so far is doing a brilliant job of using the same platform for multiple brands, each with their own distinct characteristics (in short, no badge engineering). Understanding that, I don’t think consumers would pay $45k to $50k for a Buick. The Volt is already a soft riding, quiet car. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt Buick to do it, but it probably wouldn’t sell good.
electra has a future in Buick lineup and will be an alternative energy vehicle which will not be voltec 2.0 but a newer system with greater flexibility and derivatives you will see within the next year and judge for yourself.
sounds great jd i really hope the electra name makes it on something like that it works perfectly.