Buick has unveiled the Encasa EV, a 646 hp all-electric luxury minivan for the Chinese market. America gets crossovers. China gets this.
The Encasa runs a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system producing 646 hp (482 kW) and 550 Nm of torque on a 900-volt architecture. A 96 kWh battery delivers up to 373 miles (601 km) on the CLTC cycle. The headline charging number: 640 kW peak, enabling 10-80% in roughly 11.5 minutes. Zero to 100 km/h takes approximately 5.1 seconds, which is absurd for a three-row minivan.
Inside the "Land Jet"
Buick calls the design language "Land Jet," and the interior backs up the name. The 2+2+3 seating layout features reclining second-row lounge seats, multiple display screens, an augmented-reality head-up display projecting up to 50 inches, a built-in refrigerator, and rear entertainment screens. Air suspension with ride-height adjustment comes standard.
The driver-assistance system runs on Momenta's reinforcement-learning software, which places the Encasa in the growing category of Chinese vehicles that treat autonomous driving capability as a standard feature rather than a premium add-on.
Aerodynamics are managed to a 0.258 Cd, which is respectable for a vehicle shaped like a minivan. The three-row layout suggests a vehicle closer in concept to the Zeekr 009 or Denza D9 than anything in the American Buick catalog.
The China Gap
The Encasa starts at 489,900 yuan (approximately $68,000). For that money in the US, you'd get a Buick Enclave Avenir with a 3.6-liter V6 and leather seats. In China, you get 646 hp, 900V charging, and lounge seating with a refrigerator.
This gap between Buick's Chinese and American lineups continues to widen. The Encasa is arguably the most advanced vehicle wearing the tri-shield badge today, and it won't cross the Pacific. Whether that changes as GM's EV strategy evolves remains an open question, but for now, the Encasa is a China exclusive with no announced export plans.