General Motors has filed a trademark application for the Buick Envision GX name, indicating that a larger version of the Envision crossover is likely on the way.
The trademark application, published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on January 10, 2023, aims to cover “land motor vehicles, namely, automobiles, sport utility vehicles, trucks and vans.”
2023 Buick Vision
Beyond the typically vague language of patent filings, we can get an idea of what the Envision GX could be like by looking at Buick’s current lineup. The Encore GX was launched for the 2020 model year as a larger companion to the Encore. The standard Encore has been shelved for 2023, leaving only the GX, which will get a facelift for 2024.
If GM follows the same pattern, it looks like the Buick Envision could grow. Currently sitting between the Encore GX and the Enclave, the Envision has been sold in the US since 2016, with a redesign for the 2021 model year.
2023 Buick Vision
The filing doesn’t mention the Electra name that Buick plans to use for electric vehicles, so the Envision GX could be one of the brand’s last US-market models with an internal combustion engine. Buick aims to offer an all-electric lineup by 2030, with the first model expected in 2024. Other recently filed trademark applications indicate a family of Buick Electra EVs as well as a sporty Electra GS EV.
GM has said it’s willing to buy out Buick dealerships if they don’t want to switch to selling electric vehicles, which is expected to result in a large bill averaging $300,000 to $400,000 for charging station upgrades, tools and training . However, many Buick dealerships already have a GMC franchise and have already made some investments to sell the GMC Hummer EV, making the transition less abrupt.