GWM ORA Cat a step closer to Oz

The Tesla Model 3’s status as Australia’s top-selling EV could come under threat as soon as mid-2022 thanks to the GWM ORA Cat.

Right-hand drive versions of the all-new small electric hatchback will commence deliveries in the UK from early next year, setting the stage for the ORA Cat’s arrival in Australia shortly after that.

Created by GWM (Great Wall Motors), the Chinese auto giant that brought us the GWM Ute and a range of Haval SUVs, the ORA Cat is odds-on for release Down Under, where it could set a new EV benchmark with a starting price of around $35,000.

GWM Australia has already expressed its strong desire to launch the ORA electric vehicle brand here, starting with the ORA Cat, and today it reiterated that position.

“We’re keen on the ORA Cat and the business case is being done, but nothing has been green-lighted yet,” a spokesman told carsales.

However, we understand the deal is all but done and that the pint-size EVs could arrive here from mid-2022, following confirmation of right-hand drive ORA Cat production for the UK.

While the vehicle is known as the GWM ORA Cat in the UK, GWM Australia has previously suggested it would launch ORA as a sub-brand locally, where GWM ORA, ORA and Aure trademarks were filed with IP Australia in late September.

In China, where the ORA brand was launched in 2018, the ‘Good Cat’ is sold alongside the ‘Lightning Cat’ and ‘Punk Cat’. Based on the same dedicated EV platform dubbed LEMON, all three models are on the table for Australia.

Given GWM’s aggressive pricing strategy with the GWM Ute and Haval SUVs, expect the ORA Cat to arrive with very sharp pricing that should easily undercut Australia’s cheapest EV, the MG ZS EV ($44,990 drive-away), not to mention the similarly styled MINI Electric ($55,650 plus ORCs).

Sales of EVs are growing by triple-digit percentages in Australia as awareness of electric vehicle technology spreads and charging infrastructure expands. Various state-based EV rebates and incentives are also helping build momentum for electric vehicles in Australia.

The budget-priced ORA Cat offered in the UK is propelled by single electric motor (126kW/250Nm) that drives the front wheels and is fed by a 48kWh battery pack delivering a range of 336km (210 miles), or a 63kWh battery good for a claimed 420km (260 miles).

The ORA Cat EV can charge at a rate of 80kW via a fast-charger, which should top up the car’s battery from 10 to 80 per cent in around 45 minutes. AC charging using a standard three-pin plug will take a lot longer.

Top speed is rated at 160km/h, while the 0-100km/h sprint is claimed to take 8.5 seconds, which is fairly slow for an EV, suggesting the ORA Cat is built for endurance not speed.

It’s likely Aussie models will mirror UK powertrain offerings and deliver similarly handsome equipment levels, including twin 10.25-inch digital screens as standard across all three UK model grades.

Expect to see smartphone mirroring, facial recognition software, a 360-degree surround-view parking camera, plus LED headlights, tail-lights and 18-inch alloy wheels. Advanced driving assistance systems will be part of the package along with remote smartphone functionality and over-the-air updates.

Measuring 4250mm long, the ORA Cat its bigger than the Toyota Yaris but slightly smaller than the Toyota Corolla. Boot space is a compact 228 litres.

In China, ORA Cat options include massaging seats, wireless phone charging and various high-end paint work and wheel combinations.

There are less powerful (107kW/210Nm) ORA Cat models available in China that could deliver seriously sharp sub-$35,000 pricing for the brand.

Now priced from £25,000 ($A45,000) in the UK, the ORA Cat is significantly cheaper than the Tesla Model 3’s circa-£42,000 ($A77,000) starting price in the same country. The Chinese-built Model 3 is now priced from $59,990 in Australia.

But the ORA Cat faces competition in the race to become Australia’s cheapest EV. The Yuan Plus small SUV from Chinese rival BYD is also expected to be a sub-$35K proposition, but its local launch has been delayed to early 2022.

Once launched in Australia, the Cat is expected to be joined by more EVs under the ORA sub-brand, GWM Australia execs have previously stated.

The brand is also looking at introducing what could be Australia’s first electric ute and seeking to introduce an off-road sub-brand Tank, starting with the Wrangler-rivalling Tank 300 that we’ve already driven in Australia.

With a market cap of $71 billion, making it the eighth wealthiest global car-maker (ahead of BMW, Hyundai and Nissan), GWM is using its financial clout to expand its global presence.

The new ORA EVs are expected to be sold via GWM dealerships but the Chinese EV brand could adopt elements employed by Genesis and Tesla, such as online configuration, ordering and sales for customers.