by New Production Location for the Buick Envision
General Motors has decided to relocate the production of the future, third-generation Buick Envision crossover from China to the United States. The vehicle will be assembled at the Fairfax plant in Kansas City, starting in 2028. The same production site is planned to manufacture the Chevrolet Equinox.
This decision was preceded by serious market changes. The current, Chinese version of the Envision was impacted by tariffs introduced during Donald Trump’s presidency. The company’s response was to raise prices: initially by $1,500, and recently by another $3,000. Thus, the total cost of the car increased by $4,500 in less than a year.
Impact on Prices and Sales
As a result, the 2026 model now starts at $41,000, excluding an additional $1,995 destination charge. Such a high price has likely already begun to affect demand. Although sales for the past year fell by only 11.4% (to 41,924 vehicles), the fourth quarter saw a sharp drop of 60.9%. Despite this, the Envision remained the third most popular vehicle in the Buick lineup, accounting for over a fifth of the brand’s total annual sales (198,155 units).
We are working on a model transition plan
GM acknowledges that the situation was unstable. In its statement, the company emphasized that this decision “strengthens GM’s domestic manufacturing capability and supports U.S. jobs,” continuing $5.5 billion in investments in American plants over the past year. Regarding the fate of the current model, a GM representative gave a non-committal answer, noting that details of the transition to the new generation are still being worked out.
Implications for the Chevrolet Bolt
This news also shed light on the future of the electric Chevrolet Bolt. Despite the recent release of the updated model, it was positioned as “limited.” It has now become clear that its production will not last long. The Fairfax plant will be retooled to produce the Chevrolet Equinox starting in 2027, which means the Bolt will be taken off the assembly line approximately a year after production begins.
Technical Prospects of the New Model
The third-generation Envision will begin production at the same plant a year after the Equinox — in 2028. This sequence may indicate a technical commonality between these two models. For example, the Equinox is equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine producing 175 horsepower, paired with a continuously variable or eight-speed automatic transmission. Whether the new Buick will inherit a similar powertrain remains an open question for now.
The relocation of Envision production to the U.S. is a vivid example of how global trade policy can force even major automakers to radically reconsider their supply chains and business plans. This step, on one hand, aims to reduce risks associated with international tariffs, and on the other, to support the domestic labor market. However, for buyers, this may mean that vehicles previously positioned as affordable crossovers could continue to remain in the premium segment due to increased production costs in the U.S. The fate of the Chevrolet Bolt serves as a reminder of the temporary nature of life cycles even for successful electric vehicles in light of the rapid transformation of companies’ production capacities.
