That the Shanghai Auto Show isn’t just one sided is proved by Buick and their reveal of the Velite 5. For those who are not up to speed, Buick’s Velite 5 is simply a rebadged version of the Chevrolet Volt with slight changes up front including the revised grille and restyled fog lights.
The all familiar design continues to the cabin where the driver will find and immediately recognize the interior that now hosts only minor styling tweaks. Detail info regarding the interior was not offered by the automaker but what they did say is that the Velite 5 will come with a nicely equipped pack that includes an automatic climate control system, keyless entry, and a push-button ignition. Besides that Buick also decided to add features like a Bose audio system and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay connectivity as a bonus.
As far as safety options are considered the Velite 5 will host features that include adaptive cruise control, lane keep, automatic parking, and high-beam assist. If that is not enough to keep you safe, then you’ll be glad to know that the car also comes equipped with 10 standard airbags.
Under the hood will be a 1.5 L unit aided by an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery. More details about these are not available at the moment because Buick is keeping them a secret, once again, but the only info they gave was that the Velite 5 would be able to travel up to 116 km (72 miles) on electricity alone and 768 km (477 miles) with the help of the petrol engine. Thanks to this, Velite 5 is the first hybrid vehicle that will be manufactured in China with a fuel consumption below 1.0 liter/100 kilometers.
As far as price is concerned, it will start at 265,800 yuan ($38,604), but the good news is that the model will be eligible for a 36,000 yuan ($5,228) subsidy from SAIC-GM, which is a great thing.
