The Buick Electra L7 is now available in China for 179,900 yuan. It is a large sedan with an 800 V system and 6C charging capability.
Buick has begun selling its electric Electra L7 model in China. The car starts at 179,900 yuan, which is around $26,500, while the top version costs 209,900 yuan. On paper, this appears to be a serious attempt by GM-SAIC to enter China’s premium EV market, but the range is given according to China’s CLTC standard.
The Electra L7 EV is built on an 800 V architecture and features one motor at the rear axle with 282 kW of power and 382 Nm of torque. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. This isn’t on par with China’s high-performance electric vehicles, but it more than suffices for a large sedan.
The battery has a capacity of 80.6 kWh and uses LFP chemistry, with CATL as the cell supplier. Buick claims a CLTC range of up to 702 km. Here’s where there’s a problem—CLTC typically yields better results than WLTP, let alone real-world highway driving.
The most interesting aspect is charging. The manufacturer claims a 6C charge rate that restores 450 km of range in 10 minutes. If the car can truly maintain high power for a long time, that’s impressive. If it’s just a short burst under ideal conditions, it will be as usual.
Dimensions and Interior
The Electra L7 measures 5,032 mm in length, 1,952 mm in width, 1,499 mm or 1,507 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,000 mm. It’s a large car, more akin to Chinese business-class vehicles than European D-segment models. 19-inch wheels are standard, while the top version offers 20-inch wheels.
The cabin is equipped with a Qualcomm SA8775P chip offering 72 TOPS of NPU computing power. In front of the driver, there are 10.25-inch displays, a 15.6-inch central screen, and a 50-inch panoramic AR-HUD. Inside, it also features a 27-speaker audio system, gesture controls for the steering wheel and front seats, as well as advanced seats with ventilation, heating, and massage functions. Chinese consumers appreciate such feature lists, and it’s no surprise.
Driving Assistance System and Prices
The driving assistance is provided by the Xiaoyao Zhixing system based on the Momenta R6 model. Buick also plans a future OTA update to version R7. While the update itself doesn’t guarantee anything, Momenta is a player in China worth keeping an eye on.
The pricing list looks like this:
Version
Price
—
—:
702 Luxury
179,900 yuan
702 Luxury Smart
199,900 yuan
702 Avenir
209,900 yuan
After a quick calculation, this amounts to roughly 96-112 thousand zł before taxes and costs related to entering Europe. In our country, such a car would be a sensation, but the Electra L7 is currently aimed at the Chinese market, with no signs of an imminent launch in Poland.
GM and Buick are trying to regain customer attention in China not through their logo but through its specifications. My question to you: at this price and with these features, would you prefer such a Buick over a Tesla Model 3 or Xiaomi SU7?
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