Buick Enters the Extended-Range Hybrid Battle! First Sedan Priced Under 170,000 Yuan?

Last night, the Buick Electra brand's first model, the L7, officially launched after less than two weeks of pre-sales.

Compared to the initial positioning of "300,000 yuan," the price of the Zhijing L7 has been set at 169,900 to 215,900 yuan after a round of "mutual persuasion" between the leaders of China and the United States.

The Zhijing brand is a newly created high-end new energy brand by Buick, developed by a local Chinese team and fully aimed at the Chinese market.

The first model, L7, is positioned as a mid-to-large-sized extended-range sedan. It is one of the few in this segment and price range.

Moreover, as a joint venture vehicle, it surprises us with its intelligence, such as being the first to feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8775 chip and the new Momenta large model, etc.

So, can Buick, which has not had a smooth development in China's new energy market, turn things around with the launch of its Electra brand?

What are the highlights?

The Zhijun L7 basically restores the design of the previous concept car Electra-L in appearance, continuing Buick's iconic "wing" concept, and also incorporates many thoughtful details that enhance refinement.

The "starry sky" elements dotted in the headlight group, the long L113, the sharp lines on the hood, and the high-gloss multi-spoke wheels all make it look more distinctive.

Notably, the rear of the Zejing L7 features a newly designed diffusion-style tail light and it becomes one of the first joint venture brands to use the "Smart Driving Blue Light."

Everyone might as well give a score for the appearance of the Zhijing L7.

The new car measures over 5 meters in length, with a wheelbase of 3 meters, surpassing Buick's current flagship sedan, the LaCrosse, and becoming the largest sedan currently sold by Buick.

Upon entering the car, the Zhijun L7 has abandoned the past iconic dual-screen design, opting instead for the mainstream combination of HUD, instrument panel, and central control display commonly used by new forces in the industry.

However, Buick has not forgotten its identity as an American car.

The interior of the Zhijing L7 is almost entirely covered in leather, with the ceiling wrapped in suede. Details are accented with metal and wood grain trim, creating a distinct sense of hierarchy.

The classic "American-style big sofa" is also present this time. The Zhijing L7 is equipped with zero-gravity seats for the front passenger, and the high-end models feature seats throughout the car that have ventilation, heating, and massage functions.

In the rear seats, ventilation/heating/massage functions are also fully equipped, and just like the front seats, the rear area also provides headrest speakers.

According to the official statement, the seats of the Zhijing L7 contain 12 layers of support structures, filled with materials such as silk cotton layer, soft and light elastic wrapping layer, and 25mm thick 3D spiral pearl cotton.

In the past, seats of such specifications were only available in the Buick flagship MPV Century, which shows that Buick has also made a significant investment in the Zijing L7.

Not long ago, I personally experienced the seats of the Zhijing L7 on-site. The padding is soft, and the sense of envelopment is excellent.

The only downside is that the length of the rear seat cushion is not as long compared to those old American cars, and the coupe-style design has also reduced some headroom. If your height exceeds 1.8 meters, I would still recommend prioritizing the front seat.

In the powertrain section, as the automaker that invented range-extending technology, Zhijun L7 has also debuted GM's brand new "True Dragon" range-extending system.

This system consists of a 1.5T engine and a rear-mounted electric motor with a maximum power output of 252kW, which is the highest power range-extended single electric drive motor in the industry. The 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time is 5.9 seconds.

In terms of the chassis, the Zhijun L7 features a front double wishbone and rear five-link suspension structure, equipped with RTD continuously adjustable damping and hydraulic bushings, which balances handling. However, I personally feel that the 235mm tire specification is still a bit lacking.

This setup is very similar to an American sedan equipped with a large displacement engine, but compared to those "fuel guzzlers," its fuel consumption is only 0.5L/100km.

The Zhi Jing L7's range extender system is equipped with a large 40.2 kWh battery as standard across the entire series. In addition to providing a pure electric range of 302 km, it also ensures that its performance remains uncompromised even when the battery is depleted.

In addition, the official stated that this system also addresses the issue of high noise levels in traditional range-extended vehicles when the battery is depleted.

According to the official data, the 0-100 km/h acceleration time of the Zijing L7 in a discharged state differs from that in a fully charged state by less than 0.1 seconds, and the NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) difference is less than 0.5 decibels.

As a new Buick model in 2025, the Zijing L7 also brings us surprises in terms of intelligence.

This joint venture car is even the first model to feature Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8775 chip, whose computing power is twice that of the current mainstream 8295 chip.

In terms of functionality, this Buick can even achieve a feature similar to Li Xiang's "Golden Finger," allowing you to use your finger to direct the voice assistant to perform related operations.

Of course, the previous CarPlay and other in-car connectivity features have been retained, providing an option for users who are not particularly interested in high technology.

In terms of assisted driving, the Zhijing L7 also debuts with the Momenta R6 reinforcement learning flywheel model.

In addition to supporting "basic" functions such as high-speed/urban NOA, it also supports many advanced parking features, such as non-stop parking, dead-end parking, and parking in extremely narrow spaces.

How to choose among 5 versions?

Buick Zijing L7 offers a total of 5 SKUs, with prices ranging from 169,900 to 215,900 yuan. The categorization is relatively straightforward, similar to that of new forces.

The "Luxury Edition" is priced at 169,900 yuan.

Despite being an entry-level model, it comes standard with a 40.2 kWh battery, FSD adaptive damping suspension, and seats with suspension layer filling. In terms of intelligent features, it is equipped with an 8155 chip and includes basic assisted driving functions such as full-speed adaptive cruise control.

Its cost-effectiveness is not inferior to some domestic models in the same price range. If you don't have particularly high demands for smart features, then this version is completely sufficient.

The "Luxury Edition" priced at 182,900 yuan has been upgraded with a large number of comfort features.

For example, upgrades were made to the front seat massage, rear seat ventilation/heating/massage/electric adjustment, ambient lighting, fragrance system, and rear privacy glass, and the speakers increased from 8 to 25.

You can choose between these two configurations based on your comfort needs.

Next are the "Zunxiang Xiaoyao Intelligent Travel Edition" and the "Shexiang Xiaoyao Intelligent Travel Edition." Each of the two "Xiaoyao Intelligent Travel Editions" is 20,000 yuan more expensive than the first two configurations respectively.

These two versions have significantly upgraded the intelligent configuration, with the cabin chip upgraded to Qualcomm Snapdragon 8775, network upgraded from 4G to 5G, and new features including a 50-inch AR-HUD, factory-installed ETC, and DMS fatigue monitoring.

More importantly, both versions are equipped with Buick's newly featured XiaoYao Intelligent Driving Assistance System, which includes urban/highway NOA, automatic parking, and memory parking functions.

For consumers who still prefer traditional joint venture cars, the "Xiaoyao Intelligent Edition" Zhijing L7 is indeed one of the few options that can balance brand and intelligence.

The last one is "Aivia," priced at 215,900 yuan.

As a "complete form" of the Zhijing L7, it continues to elevate comfort and luxury: the seat material is upgraded to NAPPA leather, the number of speakers has been further increased to 27, and new features such as a zero-gravity seat for the front passenger and exclusive Avia emblems have been added.

However, in terms of the difference in configuration and price, its cost-performance ratio is actually not outstanding.

Overall, the product logic of the Zhijing L7 is relatively clear.

The problem is that even if joint venture cars elevate their intelligence and comfort to this level, consumers still easily compare them with domestic new energy vehicles at the same price point.

Once compared, the actual advantages brought by Buick's "joint venture halo" will depend on the market feedback that follows.

Written at the end

It is not difficult to see that the product strength of Zhijing L7 is indeed comprehensive among joint venture cars.

The exterior dimensions exude presence, the interior continues the American luxury style, and the intelligence and range extender system keep pace with the new trend of domestic new forces. The pricing is set as low as 170,000 yuan, showing clear sincerity.

The problem is that, in the current situation where domestic new energy vehicles have already mastered high-performance chips, large battery range extenders, and urban NOA, it is difficult for joint venture cars to avoid being compared with domestic brands simply by piling on configurations and raising prices.

The emergence of the Zhijing brand is more like a "last stand" for GM. It not only has to shoulder Buick's transition to new energy but also redefine the value of American cars in the minds of Chinese consumers.

As for whether the Zhijing brand can make everyone reconsider and rekindle their expectations for American cars, what are your thoughts? Feel free to share in the comments section.