Despite PHEV push, GWM Sticks with EVs and Ora in Oz

A new generation of battery electric vehicles could arrive in Australia from Ora and other GWM brands as soon as 2026.

The Chinese automotive giant’s Australian division insists Ora and EVs are an important piece of its grand ambition to become a top five player in Australia with more than 70,000 sales.

But just not right now.

In 2025 it is focussed on broadening its hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrain offerings while continuing to sell orthodox unassisted internal combustion engines.

For now at least, GWM will continue to offer just the single EV in Australia, the Ora mini-car, which has languished despite several attempts at repricing and repositioning since its 2023 launch.

With EV sales momentum slowing to just a 4.7 per cent growth in 2024 while hybrid and PHEV boomed, GWM Australia says focussing on the market action is the right thing to do.

“EV has a place to play and it doesn’t have to be for us right now and we don’t think it is the right time for us right now,” said GWM Australia marketing and communications chief Steve Maciver.

“Ora is doing a job and we have a presence in there.”

Maciver and new GWM Australia Chief Operating Officer John Kett made clear to carsales that Ora will be revitalised with multiple new-generation EVs that have yet to be revealed.

They were also unequivocal that EVs would also be sold by the other GWM Australia brands, which include Haval (SUV), Tank (4x4) and Cannon (commercial).

A byproduct of all that is the Ora Sport ‘mini Taycan’ electric four door driven by Australian media back in early 2023 is almost certainly not coming to Australia.

“There is significant developments going on behind the scene on other Ora models,” confirmed Maciver.

“[We just] can’t talk about them.

“Ora will maintain its position, in fact it will be a pillar of this brand.”

But it’s certainly not at the moment.

In 2024 GWM Australia sold 1225 Oras, BYD sold 2116 Dolphins and the MG4 dominated the cheap EV troika tussle thanks to some serious discounting toward the end of the year with 6934 sales.

Maciver theorised the Ora would perform better in Australia if it was an SUV rather than a small hatch.

“I’m of the opinion that had we been able to bring that powertrain in in a small SUV sales might be treble what we are seeing today, four times what we are seeing. That’s my gut feel,” he said.

“Ultimately, we have also prioritised other models in terms of marketing investment and focus over Ora because to grow the brand to where we have got to today we have had to.

“With Ora we’ve only done two months of TV since it was launched.”

Added Kett: “We see the opportunity in Ora too. We have a story for Ora but that’s for 2026 onwards.”

Because of its strong PHEV commitment, Kett says GWM Australia is building itself a buffer against a forced rush into EVs ahead of buyer demand to meet the reducing CO2 limits specified under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).

“Ora can grow, Ora can meet some NVES objective but the reality is Ora needs to stand there as an EV brand in its own right,” said Kett.

“But we are going to have to get Ora and our EV portfolio [resolved]. We will talk to those question at the end of 2025 and into 2026.

“[The answers] to those questions will become clearer.

“I feel incredibly comfortable from the inside that we have it resolved and the tempo that we are going at and making sure when we bring in this incredible technology.”

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