The car market is experiencing intense competition, and domestic car companies are caught in a fierce battle from price wars to elimination. Both joint venture brands and Chinese brands are starting from the same starting line in the field of new energy vehicles, and it is still uncertain who will have the last laugh. Take the representative joint venture brand Buick Velite 6 for example, in order to increase sales, the 2024 model will be priced in the price range of 100,000 yuan (14090$) after its launch, directly targeting the BYD Qin PLUS EV and Volkswagen ID.3. After the official discount policy was introduced, the starting price of 99,800 yuan (14070$) truly made it the new “king of sales”.
Exterior The overall appearance of the Weilan 6 adopts a crossover style, with a closed grille design on the front, and the front grille leaves on both sides of the brand logo extending horizontally, integrating with the long and narrow headlights on both sides, giving off a heroic aura. The Qin PLUS EV, using the Dragon Face 3.0 design language, features a long silver chrome strip on the front, and slightly fierce LED headlights, reflecting the strong family atmosphere of the BYD Dynasty series. We are also very familiar with the exterior design of the ID.3, which combines a sense of the future with a touch of cuteness. The continuous light strip is connected to the headlights on both sides, and the slightly upward shape of the front headlights gives it a cute yet spirited look.
The waistline design of the Weilan 6 brings a strong sense of three-dimensionality to the side lines, and the coupe-style two-box shape looks more dynamic, paired with 17-inch closed wheel hubs to effectively reduce wind resistance and improve endurance. The tires come from Bridgestone Turanza, full of sincerity. The side profile design of the Qin PLUS EV does appear somewhat conservative, lacking innovation. Thanks to the design concept of the short front and rear overhangs and long wheelbase of the Volkswagen MEB electrification platform, the side lines of the ID.3 appear very dynamic and smooth. Although the body size is the smallest of the three cars, the wheelbase is indeed the longest. In the rear, the tall waistline of the Weilan 6 extends all the way to the tail of the car, the L-shaped taillight design is three-dimensional, the tailgate curve is beautiful, and the crossover coupe shape of the station wagon is unique, making it easily recognizable on the street. The three-box design of the Qin PLUS EV adopts a strong and full tail design, creating more space inside while also showing a certain sense of stability in visual effect. The black rear door of the ID.3 occupies the majority of the visual focus, creating a good visual effect through this simple color matching.
·Interior The Weilan 6 retains the classic Buick suspended wing embrace cockpit layout, with clear division of various functional areas, convenient to use, and high usability. Equipped with a 10-inch full LCD instrument panel and a 10-inch suspended high-definition touch screen, this car is quite well-equipped in terms of technology for home use. The Qin PLUS EV’s central control console adopts a standard symmetrical design, with materials that are worthy of its price range. The overall design of the ID.3 is relatively simple, with a 5.3-inch LCD instrument panel and a 10-inch suspended central control screen, reflecting a certain technological atmosphere.
It is worth mentioning that the crossover design used in the Weilan 6 brings a spacious and comfortable feeling to the car. The rear legroom reaches 869mm, the second-row knee space reaches 62mm, and the headroom reaches 946mm, which is considered excellent in the same class, making it completely comfortable for a family of five to travel.
Not only that, the Micro Blue 6 with a two-box design has some natural advantages in the trunk area. The hatchback tailgate has a large opening area, with interior height reaching the roof, making storage more convenient than a sedan. Official volume data also shows that its 455L capacity is slightly better than its competitors.
·Power & Endurance In terms of power system, the Weilan 6 is equipped with Buick eMotion intelligent electric drive technology, using a permanent magnet synchronous motor, with a maximum power of up to 130kW and a maximum torque of 265N·m. It takes 3.0s to accelerate from 0-50km/h, and the CLTC condition consumes as low as 12.7kW·h per hundred kilometers. The power performance of the Qin PLUS EV is average, with a maximum horsepower of only 100kW and a maximum torque of 180N·m. The power is just enough, and it is difficult to bring confidence to the driver in situations such as accelerating and overtaking, showing relatively mediocre performance. The power of the ID.3 is also good, using a rear-mounted drive motor with a maximum power of 125kW and a maximum torque of 310N·m, with an official 0-50km/h acceleration time of 3s.
In terms of batteries, the Microlan 6 is equipped with a 50.3kWh capacity lithium iron phosphate battery pack, which meets cost and reliability requirements. The official CLTC range is 430km, and the battery can be charged from 30% to 80% in as fast as 30 minutes at room temperature. It is worth mentioning that the Microlan 6 has the best range-to-price ratio among the three cars. The Qin PLUS EV is equipped with a 48kWh capacity lithium iron phosphate battery pack, with a slightly lower capacity than the former, and the official CLTC range is correspondingly 10km less. The ID.3 uses a lower safety, lower battery cycle life ternary lithium battery pack with a capacity of 52.8kWh, and a CLTC range of 450km. The fast charging time from 30% to 80% is 28 minutes, and from 0% to 80% it takes 40 minutes. In conclusion, whether it’s the Microlan 6, Qin PLUS EV, or ID.3, all three cars have shown a high level of product quality and are very suitable for daily use. However, the original intention of the comparison was to determine the best choice in the hundred-thousand price range, so the price factor becomes the “decisive factor” in this comparison. The Microlan 6’s suggested retail price is already much lower than its competitors, and the official discount brings an “unprecedented” starting price of 99,800 yuan (14070$), which, combined with its range, space, and quality, is not inferior to the ID.3 and Qin PLUS EV. Plus, with Buick’s good reputation accumulated over the years in China, consumers who are paying attention to the 100,000-yuan household electric car market should not miss out.