Among other all-American car manufacturers, Buick joined a growing movement in all-electric vehicles. Buick’s Wildcat EV showcased a premium side to a car platform which could be mass-adopted by 2030.
In fact, Buick would be part of Canada’s own incentives to own a zero-emission vehicle until March 2025. The process would reduce emissions from vans, trucks and SUVs across Ontario and beyond.“Think about it as the visual representation of the future of Buick,” said the national marketing manager for Buick, Heba Amin.
The EV packs a number of features that would be applied to all other Buick vehicles in the near future, the company said in a release. A battery would be integrated with traditional Buick design, including polished interiors and its own touchscreen navigation system. The Wildcat EV also retains a familiar two-by-two coupe which accommodates extra passengers to keep mobility high.
“New design details, the lower profile silhouette, lines that you see over on the signature headlamps are led with thin beam projector lamps. These are all like design cues more or less inspiring how our future is going to look from a design perspective,” Amin added.
Buick’s own laundry list of the future can be shown at face value. Its elegant silver finish is coated around a bullet design which helps the EV glide silently without an engine. Two large headlights are melded with the EV’s corners for a seamless front body. The rear lights also reflect the Wildcat EV’s futuristic flow, with its red extending to the window frames and corners. True to its one-of-a-kind concept, the WILDCAT logo is emblazoned with white letterings along its exhaust-free exterior (because it’s electric).
Inside, passengers and drivers can easily get in and out with wide semi-swing doors. The Wildcat EV sports an ivory-style aesthetic which warmly wraps drivers and passengers. Colours, including Legato Green, flow through its walls to bring out its pearly white seats and metallic dashboard. As digital features leapfrog mechanical dials, the Wildcat EV doesn’t stray too far from its love for retro.
In fact, a good chunk of usability is noticed through its LED dashboard. Conceptually, nothing digital was held back as drivers would seamlessly see their odometer and navigational systems. An additional touchscreen would work in sync with its dashboard for a distraction-free experience. Out of an all-electric experience, the Wildcat EV would also include crucial “state of charge” status and nearest stations along the way.
“It’s an amazing way that basically blends visually beautiful visual displays with also connected technologies. Again, you can see that in an actual production model, which is the Encore GX, where we also have the virtual cockpit system in it as well,” Amin said.
The all-electric architecture takes a life of its own with drivers. Specifically, biometrics keep the EV secure. While AI can even detect a driver’s heart rate and apply aromatherapy scents, its cockpit-style seats also include motors and pressure points for massages.
Of course, many of these features are jam-packed in Buick’s EV idea. These features would be spread out in various packages along Buick’s debut EV line.
Pop culture and retrofuturism play a much bigger part in Buick’s concept EV. The vehicle itself takes notes from a familiar image where electric vehicles have dominated roads – if not the skies. The Jetsons’ blend of 70s design meets Buick’s own affinity for smart-based usability. Here, the Wildcat EV takes on a “Jet Age” trim. Down to cockpit-style seats, its interior headrests are framed with a sharp finish that represents a sleek simplicity first conceived in pop culture. T18 spoke wheels take the jet design literally with Jet Age-inspired turbine rims.
Buick’s Wildcat EV won’t be the first or last to offer a higher-end option for enthusiasts. The “Wildcat” part of its name has been used for a number of ideas. According to Buick, its manufactured one-of-a-kind EV first debuted in June 2022, but it would spell out a new direction for Buick as they engage in an all-electric platform with GMC Design.
