All-New Buick Electra E5 EV, Redesigned Encore GX Make Early Debu

Images posted to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) website provide a glimpse at two future Buick models. This isn’t the first time this has happened. New vehicles launched in China pass through the MIIT for inspection, which includes taking photos that are then sometimes published online before the automaker even reveals the car.

One of them is the redesigned Encore GX. The photo shows the crossover with a radically new front-end design inspired by the Electra-X EV concept. The model sports the brand’s new, simplified badge, which sits between slim daytime running lights. The regular headlight units are tucked inside the fake intake vents, a growing styling trend among automakers. It appears that Buick spent most of its time updating the front because the GX’s rear looks unchanged from the current car.

The other vehicle published on MIIT’s website is a new crossover called the Electra E5. It also has a design inspired by the Electra-X Concept, sharing motifs with the Encore GX. The E5 features slim DRLs sitting above separate headlight units, just like the Encore. However, the E5 differentiates itself and reveals its electric powertrain with its closed-off grille. The EV also has a thick floor because of the battery. It looks like a mid-size model with a boxier rear-end design.

It’s unclear if the Electra E5 revealed in China is destined for the US or when it could arrive. General Motors did file nine new trademark applications late last month for the Buick Electric E1 through to Electra E9. The automaker plans to launch its first EV in 2024, with plans to offer only electric vehicles by 2030. Its first will be about the size of the Cadillac Lyriq and ride on GM’s Ultium platform.

The Buick Encore GX launched in 2020 for the US market and others. The company’s consumer website is already advertising the current car as the 2023 offering, which means the soonest the redesigned model could arrive is 2024. Expect a debut soon for the new GX. It’s a mystery when we’ll see the E5 debut, but CES is right around the corner.