Buick Electra L7 2026: price, range and specs of the new electric sedan

© A. Krivonosov / SPEEDME

One of the freshest production debuts at the Chengdu Motor Show 2026 was the Buick L7, or Electra L7. SPEEDME.RU photographed the five-meter electric sedan in detail just days after it went on sale in China. The car stands out not only for its design, new for Buick, but also for its 800-volt architecture, 6C fast charging and a range of more than 700 km.

Sales of the all-electric version started in China on August 19. Official prices range from 179,900 to 209,900 yuan, or 169,900 to 199,900 yuan with the launch incentive — roughly $25,000–$29,500 at the current exchange rate.

Five meters long with a three-meter wheelbase

The Electra L7 belongs to the large sedan class. Its dimensions are 5,032x1,952x1,499 mm, and the wheelbase reaches exactly 3,000 mm. Almost nothing here recalls the older Buick look: up front sit narrow split headlights, the body gets semi-hidden door handles, and a wide light bar runs across the rear.

SPEEDME.RU's photos show just how elongated the silhouette is. Short overhangs and the three-meter wheelbase give it proportions that read as distinctly electric, even though the L7 name was previously offered in China in a range-extended, gasoline-generator version too.

The car on display wore a striking green shade. For the electric version, Buick expanded the color palette, adding the new Star Sand Green and Sakura Pink.

384 horsepower and rear-wheel drive

Unlike the earlier range-extended L7, the new variant is fully electric. A motor mounted on the rear axle produces 282 kW — about 384 hp — with peak torque of 382 Nm.

0-100 km/h takes 5.6 seconds. There is no all-wheel-drive option in the current lineup — every version is rear-wheel drive.

The CATL traction battery holds 80.6 kWh, and the rated range is 702 km on the CLTC cycle. That figure alone is already competitive for a large sedan, but the L7's real technical highlight is how fast it replenishes energy.

Ten minutes of charging adds another 450 km

The Electra L7 is built on an 800-volt platform and supports 6C-class fast charging. Buick claims that just 10 minutes at the charger can add roughly 450 km of range on the Chinese cycle.

There's also a battery thermal-management system designed for extreme heat — the automaker specifically notes fast charging remains possible even at ambient temperatures around 55 degrees Celsius.

That matters more than the 702-km figure itself for understanding the scale of progress here. While most mainstream EVs are still trying to shrink a standard charging stop to 20–30 minutes, this Chinese Buick is already entering territory where a charging stop takes about as long as a regular fuel-up and a coffee.

Inside, Buick bet on comfort

SPEEDME.RU's team also photographed the L7's cabin. A 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster sits ahead of the driver, with a 15.6-inch central display. Infotainment runs on a Qualcomm SA8775P chip with 72 TOPS of NPU compute. There's a 27-speaker Buick Sound audio system, and some functions can be controlled with hand gestures.

Special attention went into the seats. Even in standard trim, the front passenger seat gets two Zero Gravity positions with recline up to 120 degrees. The rear seats add ventilation, heating and massage.

The driver-assistance suite is built on Momenta's R6 model, and the automaker says it will later move to the newer R7 via an OTA update.

Nearby — the Buick Century, with a cabin like a private jet

On the stand, SPEEDME.RU's team also found Buick's current flagship minivan, the Century Avenir. It shows clearly where Buick's Chinese arm is taking the brand in the premium segment.

In the top four-seat version of the Century, the second row is fully separated from the driver by a partition with a 32-inch retractable screen. The passenger seats offer 22-zone massage and an extensive set of power adjustments. The minivan itself stretches to 5,230 mm in length, on a 3,130 mm wheelbase.

The updated Century lineup in China starts at 539,900 yuan and tops out at 699,900 yuan — roughly $75,700–$98,200 at the current exchange rate. It uses a 2.0-liter turbo engine producing 237 hp, paired with a 48-volt system and a 9-speed automatic.

But it's the L7 that best captures how much Buick has changed in China. Not long ago the brand was associated mainly with gasoline sedans and minivans; now, for roughly $25,000, it offers a five-meter, rear-wheel-drive electric sedan with 384 hp, an 800-volt system and charging that adds hundreds of kilometers in minutes.

The Electra L7 has no official plans for Russia so far. For anyone importing it privately, the Chinese price would stop looking so attractive once shipping, customs and especially the recycling fee for a 384-hp electric car are factored in. But as a demonstration of just how quickly Buick's Chinese lineup is evolving, the car on display in Chengdu was one of the most striking examples.