General Motors accidentally revealed a Chevrolet Bolt-based crossover in 2017 and now it appears the model is almost ready for production.



Given an unceremonious unveiling by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the crossover will be known as the Buick Velite 7.

As you can see, the model is virtually identical to the crossover that was outed over two years ago. However, there are some slight differences including a modified front bumper and a revised grille with a Buick emblem.

Also Read: 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EUV Is A Bolt Wrapped Up As A Crossover

The rest of the model appears pretty faithful to the original as it features plastic body cladding, vertical air intakes and a familiar greenhouse. The Velite 7 even has similar wheels and black accents on the C-pillar for a ‘floating roof’ appearance.

Out back, there’s slender light units which are connected via a small illuminated stripe. We can also see a tailgate-mounted spoiler and a black bumper.

According to Autohome, the model measures 167.9 inches (4264 mm) long and has a wheelbase that spans 105.3 inches (2675 mm). If those figures are correct, the Velite 7 is 3.9 inches (99 mm) longer than the Bolt and has a 2.9 inch (74 mm) longer wheelbase.

Little else is known about the Velite 7 at this point, but the publication says the model will have an electric motor that develops 174 hp (130 kW / 177 PS).

The Bolt-based crossover GM revealed in 2017

While the Velite 7 will likely be exclusive to China, General Motors has already announced plans to invest $300 (£230 / €270) million into Orion Assembly to build a new electric vehicle for Chevrolet. At the time, the automaker confirmed the upcoming model would be “designed and engineered off an advanced version of the current award-winning Bolt EV architecture.”

That particular crossover is expected to be called the Bolt EUV (Electric Utility Vehicle) and it should look largely identical to the Velite 7. However, we can expect a more powerful electric motor that develops at least 200 hp (149 kW / 203 PS) and 266 lb-ft (360 Nm) of torque.