2024 Buick Velite 6 - electric wagon for less than $14,000

14 October 2023

SAIC-GM is turning some heads with the official unveiling of the 2024 Buick Velite 6 pure electric wagon in China's bustling automotive market.

The price tag on this electric marvel? RMB 112,800 - that’s $15,400. However, for the quick decision-makers, there's a special treat: A limited edition of 5,000 units up for grabs at a slightly lowered price of RMB 99,800 - now that’s approximately $13,700. You cannot buy a decent used Camry for that kind of money, let alone a brand new electric vehicle - unless we’re talking about the likes of Citroen Ami.

Both the standard and high-end variants are quite neck-to-neck when it comes to features. The primary difference? The high-end model boasts a glass sunroof and a reversing camera. Both versions share identical dimensions: a length of 184 inches, width of 71.5 inches, and height of 59.8 inches. The wheelbase stretches across 104.7 inches. The Velite 6 is built using Buick’s advanced BFI platform, armed with multiple anti-collision beams, ensuring that the battery pack is well-guarded. For those keen on flaunting style, the car is available in three striking shades: silver, blue, and white.

The Velite 6 boasts a 50.3 kWh LFP battery pack, ensuring an EV range of 267 miles. Powering this machine is a single front motor, punching out a commendable 130 kW of power and a torque of 195 lb-ft. Now, if we talk interiors, Buick has been true to its legacy with the wing-encircling cockpit design. There is a 10-inch LCD instrument cluster for the driver and an equally large center touchscreen.

Charge-wise, the Velite 6's 50.3 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery doesn't disappoint. From 30% to 80%, it juices up within a brisk 30 minutes. With its high-efficiency motor, the car accelerates from 0 - 31 mph in a mere 3 seconds - interestingly here, the manufacturer did not disclose 0 - 62 mph time. If the car's durability is a concern, fret not: Buick's offering an 8-year or 99,400 miles warranty for its electric system.

Space is another area where the Velite 6 scores. With over 20 storage spaces and an expandable trunk volume (38.8 ft³ after folding the rear seats in a 6/4 split configuration), practicality is certainly its middle name.

So it may not be the quickest EV out there, 130 kW motor means less than 175 hp - but that’s sufficient for everyday driving. The claimed CLTC range of 267 miles? Most likely impossible to achieve outside of the city - but for the city driving the Velite 6 may well exceed that number. It has all the trimmings we expect from a modern car without outrageous screens and a multitude of sensors. And it has a giant ace up its electric sleeve - a price tag that is simply impossible to ignore. Don’t you just wish we had cars like that over here?

Via