Buick rolled out its version of the Chevrolet Volt for the Chinese market this week, with the upscale hybrid dubbed Velite 5 in the Middle Kingdom. Buick offers far more models in China than it does in the U.S., and analysts predicted a Buick version of the Volt would be offered there before the second-generation model even debuted.
Just like the Volt, the Buick Velite 5 will be powered by two electric motors drawing juice from a lithium ion battery and a 1.5-liter inline-four range extender. In contrast with the 53-mile pure-electric rating in the U.S., the Velite 5 has been rated at 72 miles for the Chinese market, reflecting a different testing methodology.
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