GWM Ora now Australia’s cheapest electric car

GWM Australia has cut $4000 from the retail price of the GWM Ora battery-electric hatchback, snaffling bragging rights as Australia’s cheapest EV – but only for a limited time.

That’s because the discount will end on March 31, 2024, as the Chinese brand seeks to unload 2023-plated models, with stock of last year’s GWM Ora Standard Range EV now priced from $36,638 drive-away.

See below for the full price list, which varies across different states and territories.

There are four GWM Ora model grades available – Standard Range, Extended Range, Ultra and GT – all with a single e-motor and all but the entry model featuring a 63kWh battery pack. The Standard Range uses a smaller 48kWh battery for slightly less cruising range.

Rivals include the BYD Dolphin (from $39,556 drive-away) and MG4 (from $41,287 drive-away).

Only 526 GWM Ora EVs were sold in 2023 after launching mid-year, which placed it behind its key rivals – including the BYD Dolphin (925) and MG4 (3134), both launching later than the Ora – and even much more expensive EVs such as the Porsche Taycan (535).

The top-selling Tesla Model Y found 28,769 homes last year, with the Model 3 second on 17,347 sales.

But a GWM Australia spokesperson said the $4000 price cut was not a knee-jerk reaction to sluggish sales of the fledgling EV brand’s only model.

“No, this [price reduction] is not due to a slow uptake; we have commenced [special] offers on a number of vehicles across the GWM range in Australia – it’s a fairly standard response to move stock at this time of year,” they stated, adding that launching an all-new electric vehicle brand has been “difficult”.

“It’s a brand-new car in a brand-new segment so it’s hard to tell what the volume will look like.

“Would we like more [sales] out of it? Absolutely. But we think it’ll grow in volume and it’ll take time for people to get used to the new brand.”

There’s also the potential for the larger GWM Ora Sport mid-size sedan – a Tesla Model 3 competitor – to boost brand awareness and sales.

“Ora Sport is still on the radar. We’re still looking at it but the global decision for a right-hand drive version that could be sold in this market has not yet been made,” said the spokesperson.

“We are interested but no final decision has been made.”

How much does the 2023-plated GWM Ora cost across Australia?

*All prices are drive-away (including on-road costs)