General Motors on Monday unveiled a new Buick EV concept for China.
The Buick Proxima is the product of GM's China Advanced Design Center in Shanghai, which has pivoted to focus on EVs, according to a press release. A flagship sedan built on a dedicated EV architecture, it sports gullwing doors that are typical concept-car fare, but will likely also remind EV fans of the Tesla Model X.
Buick Proxima concept
Likely built on the Ultium battery platform used by upcoming GM EVs, the Proxima isn't intended for production, and wouldn't reach the U.S. if it did. Instead, it's meant to show the future design direction of Buick in China. But GM did hint that future production models intended for the Chinese market could also reach the U.S.
“China’s booming electric vehicle market, coupled with consumers' strong desire for new technologies, has afforded GM's designers a unique opportunity to revolutionize personal mobility,” Michael Simcoe, senior vice president of GM Global Design, said in a statement. “The GM China Advanced Design Center serves as a leading tastemaker for GM’s future products.”
Buick Proxima concept
China remains a much larger market for Buick than the U.S. So GM is putting a lot into building the brand in China with flashier concepts. The Buick Electra concept from 2020 got butterfly doors. And China-focused EV concepts aren't limited to Buick. In late 2022 GM unveiled the Chevy FNR-XE, an Ultium-based concept sedan designed in China.
Back on this side of the Pacific, Buick has teased a sportier, more adventurous look for the EV future with the Wildcat concept. The dramatic looking coupe isn't intended for production, but Buick plans to launch its first EV for North America in 2024—an SUV carrying the Electra name, as part of a naming series.
