2018 Buick LaCrosse Updates are Electric

Since its debut in the 2005 model year, the LaCrosse has functioned as Buick’s technology flagship. The large premium sedan has been the breaking ground for many innovative tech features from General Motors’ (GM’s) Buick brand. For a few years, the LaCrosse sported a light-electrification powertrain that Buick named eAssist. And now, for the 2018 model year, it’s back: delivering improved fuel efficiency along with the refined and smooth road performance that the LaCrosse has become known for.

The eAssist system is new and improved for the 2018 model year. The mild hybrid set-up has always involved a nicely sized gasoline engine with a small electric motor. This year, the engine is a 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder (I4). And the electric motor is officially referred to as a Motor Generator Unit (MGU), which provides additional power to the I4. Also, the MGU acts as an electric generator, since it provides the energy stored in the accompanying 86-volt, 0.45-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. The battery pack plays its part by storing energy captured during regenerative braking. This is a process where the energy lost during braking or coasting is converted to energy by the MGU, which then transfers it to the battery pack for storage. Altogether the eAssist system provides an output of 194 horsepower and 187 lb-ft of torque. The amount of torque in particular is 9 percent more than previous iterations.

Also instrumental in the eAssist system on the 2018 Buick LaCrosse are seamless Stop/Start technology and aero improvement. With the Stop/Start function, the engine is turned off when you come to a stop and turned back on when you lift the foot off the brake pedal or press the accelerator. As a result, engine idling is reduced or eliminated, thus conserving more energy. Also, the 2018 LaCrosse has upper and lower active aero shutters integrated into the front fascia. They close under specified driving conditions, ultimately contributing to heightened aerodynamic performance.

All these components of the eAssist system lead to a more fuel-efficient Buick LaCrosse. GM estimates that the combined fuel economy will increase to 29 mpg (25/35 mpg), which is 4 more mpg than what the upper-level 3.6-liter V6 engine with the front-wheel-drivetrain provides. Plus, the eAssist system is designed to be more compact; it is unobtrusively packaged so that you still have the Buick LaCrosse’s celebrated rear seat roominess and trunk space abundance. And the total output from the light-electrification powertrain is more than enough for acceleration, making your way through traffic, and switching lanes whenever you want.

The eAssist powertrain will reduce the starting price of the 2018 Buick LaCrosse to $30,490. Contact us for any updates related to this new feature.