Buick Velite 6 Gains 267-Mile Range LFP Battery, Starts At $15,500

Buick has introduced a new variant of its best-selling electric vehicle in China, the Velite 6 compact wagon, giving it a new powertrain, a simplified range structure, and lower pricing.

While the current PHEV and BEV variants of the Velite 6 remain available, the new one gets a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack with a capacity of 50.3 kilowatt-hours, which enables a range of up to 267 miles (430 kilometers) on China's CLTC test cycle.

The new battery powers an front-mounted electric motor that delivers 174 horsepower (130 kilowatts) and 195 pound-feet (265 Newton-meters) of torque. There are no further details about the motor or other drive components.

The new Buick Velite 6 starts at $15,500 (112,800 yuan), which makes it really good value for a vehicle that measures 184 inches (4,673 millimeters) in length and offers a roomy five-passenger cabin and 16.1 cubic feet of trunk capacity. There's also a more expensive variant that starts at $15,900 (115,800 yuan) and adds a glass sunroof and backup camera.

New LFP battery aside, the low prices are also made possible by a simplified range structure. For example, the Velite 6 is only available in three body colors – silver, blue, and white – to simplify production.

In addition, the interior carries over almost unchanged from the existing Velite 6 Plus EV, featuring a 10-inch digital cockpit and a 10-inch central touchscreen incorporating Buick's eConnect technology. The Velite 6 also features a nano-level anti-PM2.5 filter element and automatic air conditioning.

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Whereas US customers are still waiting for Buick's first EV, the GM brand offers no fewer than four battery-electric models in China: the Velite 6, the Velite 7 (essentially a rebadged Chevrolet Bolt EUV), the Electra E4, and the Electra E5. The Electra-badged models utilize GM's Ultium architecture.

The Buick Velite 6 remains the brand's best-selling EV in China, with the current model racking up 16,705 sales in the first seven months of 2023 – 61 percent of all Buick EVs sold. The Velite 6 competes with segment leader BYD Qin Plus EV, which posted over 66,000 sales in the same period, according to CarNewsChina.

More stories on Buick China's electric vehicles

Buick Electra E5 Sees Strong Start In China With 8,000 Orders

GM’s Proxima EV Concept Revealed In China Sporting Buick Badge, Gullwing Doors

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