Buick Debuts the VELITE 6 MAV in China
Buick debuted the VELITE 6 MAV — the marque’s first-ever all-electric vehicle — at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show. The new EV represents the latest push in the Buick Blue strategy, which emphasizes high-tech, high-performance electric vehicles. Here’s a look at what the VELITE 6 MAV has to offer — and where this new Multi-Activity Vehicle came from.
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Stats on the VELITE 6 MAV
The VELITE 6 MAV offers a smooth, quiet ride. Its powertrain delivers 114 horsepower and 188 lb-ft of torque, and boasts a city driving range of 187 miles. While it’s a little light on power, it sounds like it’s got more than enough range for your average city-dwelling commuter.
Despite being an electric car, the VELITE doesn’t skimp on size. It’s about 183 inches long, 71.5 inches long, 59.4 inches tall, and it’s got a wheelbase of 104.7 inches. Inside, the VELITE has a cargo volume of 38.8 cubic feet. In other words, it’s about the size of a 2019 Subaru Outback.
The VELITE 6 MAV comes in three trim levels, but the first 5,000 vehicles won’t be on dealership lots — they’ll go straight to China’s EVCARD electric-vehicle-sharing service, starting April 28. At this point, there’s no telling if the VELITE is headed for the US.
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Revisiting the VELITE
If the VELITE 6 MAV looks familiar, that’s because it’s based on the Buick VELITE concept, which debuted at Shanghai in 2016. The 2016 VELITE had similar exterior styling, with its flowing lines and sculpted curves. It also boasted an interior made with recycled materials, cloud-based storage and connectivity, customized service, and remote operation. It also came with a wealth of high-tech safety tools, like 360-degree traffic monitoring system, adaptive cruise control, lane- and distance-keeping assistance, low-speed automatic driving, and night vision. There’s no telling which of these features were retained in the production model, however.
In case you want a refresher, here’s how the 2016 VELITE concept looked.
Photo: Buick 
Photo: Buick 
Photo: Buick 
Photo: Buick
Sources: GM, GM Authority
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