General Motors has pulled the wraps off of the new Buick Velite 6 Plus in China, which has an optimized lithium-ion battery pack with improved range.
The Velite 6 Plus uses the same battery size as the standard Buick Velite 6, but engineers were able to increase the battery’s its energy density, enabling it to store more energy with the same 52.5-kWh capacity. Buick claims the fully electric vehicle, which it refers to as a “Multi Activity Vehicle” or “MAV,” now has a maximum driving range of 410 kilometers, or 254 miles, as per the NEDC test cycle.
The automaker says the Velite 6 Plus can charge from flat to 80% capacity in 40 minutes using a DC fast charger and can provide around 40 kilometers of driving range, or just under 25 miles, after only five minutes of charging. Its electric drivetrain is rated at 110 kW (147 horsepower) and 350 newton-meters (258 pound-feet) of torque.
Buick China launched the standard Velite 6 in April of this year, which boasted an NEDC driving range of 301 kilometers, or 187 miles. It also launched the Velite 6 plug-in hybrid in conjunction with the EV, which is powered by a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, two AC electric motors and a small lithium-ion battery. The hybrid version has a claimed NEDC range of 700 kilometers, equivalent to 434 miles.
With the addition of the Velite 6 Plus, Buick now has six different Velite 6 model variants on sale in China, when accounting for all the available trim levels.
“Buick is providing exciting solutions to cater to the growing number of car buyers across China who wish to drive a new energy vehicle,” said GM’s executive director of Buick for its SAIC-GM Chinese subsidiary, Molly Peck. “The Velite 6 Plus will also help promote vehicles powered by electricity and increase their acceptance by consumers.”
When factoring in China’s national subsidy for “new energy” vehicles, the Velite 6 Plus is priced from RMB 199,800, or $28,165 USD. Meanwhile, the Velite 6 plug-hybrid starts at RMB 165,800, or $23,372 USD.
China is slowly phasing out its new energy vehicle subsidy and reduced the rebate amount buyers could receive for 2019. The Chinese government will provide a subsidy of RMB 50,000 (about $7,280 USD) for vehicles with a maximum driving range of 400 kilometers (248 miles) or more, which is half of the subsidy it offered last year. Those with a range between 250 kilometers (155 miles) to 399 kilometers (247 miles) will receive RMB 18,000 (about $2,530 USD) back. The country recently scrapped its subsidy program for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as well.
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Comments
why doesn’t Buick give this a shot over here?
General Motors CEO Mary Barra continue saying that hybrids are dead; but China’s Buick Velite 6 Plus with a 256 mile battery range would have sold quite well in the United States; it’s this type of stupidity at General Motors that the shareholders should unite and ask for Barra’s termination especially as the UAW strike has cost the company over $2Billion in profits as how much incompetence should any company need to endure especially when the promised electric vehicles might still be 2-3 years away (they should have fired Barra and kept Johan de Nysschen).
This isn’t a hybrid this is a full electric version of the Velite.
Also the Shareholders are behind Barra and support her not the Union. They actually supported GM to hold off as long as possible.
The reason it is not here is because it would be priced at a price few would pay and it is a Buick that if it is a great car would sit and rot.
It needs to be taller and more suv like to appeal to Americans.
You will find an Electric CUV here soon possible a Buick.
The Enspire EV is coming to the USA market, possibly built at the lake orion plant. Northern suburbs of Detroit are very popular for high end EV’s in Michigan, so makes sense to build it locally. I see many Tesla’s in Rochester, Auburn Hills, and Lake Orion area.
GM keeps promising EV’s but for whatever reason we only have the dowdy Chevy Bolt. Go figure.
This would have made a great option for Buick in NA and people would have noticed how much Tech a Modern Buick has. But GM is always “wait until the new whatever comes out” instead of the now.