Buick Velite 6 in Shanghai
17.04.2019
A Buick will soon be launching its first electric car in China, its largest market. The Velite 6 is powered by an 85 kW (115 PS) engine with a maximum power of 255 Newton meters. With its 35 kilowatt hour battery, it should travel up to 301 kilometers in the NEDC driving cycle. The GM brand puts the energy consumption per 100 kilometers at 13.3 kWh. There are three driving modes, and the intensity of the recuperation can be varied in three stages.
4.65 meters long, 1,540 kilograms
The Velite 6 presents the classic dimensions of a mid-range car Combinations. It is 4.65 meters long, 1.82 meters wide, 1.51 meters high and has a wheelbase of 2.66 meters. However, with a capacity of 455 to 1,098 liters, the trunk is quite small for a car of this size. That should be largely due to the battery that is housed in the floor of the car. That should contribute a refreshing part to the curb weight of 1,540 kilograms.
The nested and restless design of the Velite 6 reminds a little of current or recently replaced Toyota models, but should be aerodynamically optimized. It starts at the beginning, with the front also evoking memories of cars from the former sister brand Opel. Above all, of course, the chrome clips between the headlights and the Buick logo in the center, which the Opel Insignia wears in a similar way. The flanks are teeming with light-refracting edges, beads and furrows. This continues in the rear view, even if the huge lights dominate here too. The gently sloping roof line is another reason for the manageable trunk volume. The electric Buick, by the way, rolls on 17-inch wheels.
The equivalent of almost 22,000 euros
Inside, one advantage of the electric concept becomes clear: there is no transmission tunnel - instead a flat one Floor in the rear, which the centrally placed passenger in particular should be pleased about. At the front, on the other hand, the Buick Velite 6 classically separates the driver and front passenger from one another by a center console on which the gear selector lever is positioned. At the top of the center console there is a touchscreen with the climate control below it. The instruments are - following the current trend - digital. A large panoramic roof above the occupants provides a view of the sky.
After deducting all the electric car subsidies available in China, the Buick Velite 6 currently costs 165,800 yuan, just under 22,000 euros. The distance to the higher-positioned equipment lines is 10,000 and 20,000 yuan (a good 1,300 and2,600 euros). The first 5,000 copies will not go on sale, however. They will be integrated into the Chinese EVCARD car sharing program from April 28th. Buick does not yet plan to offer the Velite 6 in markets outside of China.
