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General Motors is putting its Buick dealerships on notice. If they don’t agree to sell the brand’s all-electric SUVs they could face a corporate buyout and lose their franchise. General Motors is working to transition Buick to an all-electric future and it wants dealers to be all-in, or face the consequences.

All Buicks’ will be EV SUVs by 2030

a silver Wildcat concept car
The Buick Wildcat EV concept | Buick

Despite the Wildcat EV showing off what Buick designers can do with a sporty coupe, all of the company’s vehicles will be SUVs, the company said this summer. Several of its new vehicles will carry the storied Elektra names, which harks back to the brand’s luxury land yachts of the 1960s. Buick has not released any information on what is first EV will look like, but it promises one for sale in 2024. Most likely, many of these SUVs will be inspired by the successful Enspire crossover design that appeared in China in 2018.

GM electric vechiles are the company’s future

a red Buick Enspire crossover in water.
The 2018 Buick Enspire all-electric concept SUV | Buick

But according to the Wall Street Journal, if a dealer doesn’t want to invest in an all-electric franchise, GM will offer a buyout. Those investments could include charging stations, training employees, hiring EV service techs, also business changes. A buyout would mean that your local dealership franchise license could be transferred to someone who does want to invest in an EV future.

And, the company is serious about not letting lackluster dealers continue. Last year, GM bought out about one-third of Cadillac dealers, according to WSJ. Overall, there are 1,900 Buick dealers in the country.

Buick has made huge strides in quality, sales

A silver 2022 Buick Enclave midsize luxury SUV. Why aren't more people buying one of Consumer Reports higher rated models?
2022 Buick Enclave | Buick

The Buick Enclave got a big refresh for 2022 and J.D. Power ranks it in the top-three in its class. The 2022 refresh made Buick’s largest and most-expensive vehicle a compelling choice for a seven-seat luxury SUV. For 2023, the Enclave is getting a new color, and a sport-touring version with new 20-inch wheels. The 2022 Buick Enclave Essence trim remains the base trim. So far, there are no GM electric vehicles in the buick lineup.

Today, all of Buick’s vehicles are SUVS and crossover. Along with the Enclave, the brand sells the small five-seat Encore and the compact Envision. Each has earned praise from reviewers at magazines like Consumer Reports and Car and Driver.  

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.