GWM Ora – What you need to know

The small five-door Ora hatchback is offered in four variants : Standard Range, which has a claimed 310km of driving range (based on the WLTP standard), then Extended Range, Ultra and GT, all of which can all travel up to 420km on a single charge.

The GWM Ora has an eight-year battery warranty and seven-year/unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty, supported by five years of roadside assistance.

A capped servicing scheme is also in place for five years, based on 12-month/15,000km intervals.

So which one is right for you?

Kicking off at $39,990 plus ORCs is the entry-level GWM Ora Standard Range that has the following standard features:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• 10.25-inch infotainment touch-screen
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring
• 360-degree camera
• Rear parking sensors
• Adaptive cruise control

There are five body colours in the GWM Ora palette, all except Hamilton White (no cost) carrying a $595 premium – Sun Black, Glacier Blue, Mars Red and Aurora Green.

GWM Ora safety and driver assistance

The GWM Ora packs in a lot of safety equipment and all variants have a brace of airbags including dual front, side curtain and centre front airbags.

Driver aids include hill start assist, tyre pressure monitoring, rear parking sensors and a 360-degree surround-view camera.

All variants are fitted with adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, roll movement intervention, intelligent cornering control, intelligent dodge and emergency lane keep, auto on and auto high-beam LED headlights and secondary collision mitigation.

Also standard across the four GWM Ora variants is rear cross traffic alert, forward and rear collision warnings, lane centring, lane keeping, lane change assists and lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, traffic jam assist and drowsy driver detection.

Stepping up to the Ultra snares front parking sensors and auto parking assist, and if you go for the GT you’ll also get front crossing traffic alert and braking.

The GWM Ora has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on testing conducted in 2022.

Every GWM Ora EV uses a 10.25-inch colour touch-screen infotainment system that features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, an AM/FM radio, Bluetooth music and phone connectivity and a six-speaker audio unit.

There’s also wireless smartphone charging, a 12V power outlet and a USB with charge and transmission data up front, along with a USB outlet in the rear.

The driver also benefits from the standard inclusion of a 10.25-inch colour instrument cluster.

Faux leatherette trim covers the seats in all GWM Ora models, which have a six-way powered driver’s seat and a four-way powered front passenger seat.

Stepping up to the Ultra or GT adds a memory function for the driver’s position.

Do you want heated and cooled front seats and a heated steering wheel? Head for the Ultra or GT variants for this feature, which will keep you comfortable year-round.

How about a massage function for the front pews? Once again, you’ll find them only in the Ultra or GT.

All GWM Ora EVs come with automatic air-conditioning and all Ora models score LEDs for the headlights, with auto on and auto high-beam functions. There are also daytime running lights and rear fog lights.

While the Standard Range and Extended Range variants have a manual rear hatch, the Ultra and GT have a hands-free, powered hatch.

Is a sunroof a deal-maker? Then stick with the Ultra or GT as both come standard with a panoramic sunroof.

Are controllable drive modes on the wish list? The good news is all variants have steering mode select and five drive modes: Standard, Eco, Sport, Auto, Eco+.

But if you want more, then shimmy over to the Ora GT and its Individual mode and launch control.

Every Ora variant has body-coloured door handles but making the GT stand out is its exclusive-design bumpers and grille, along with red brake callipers behind its 18-inch sports alloy wheels.

Privacy glass is usually reserved for top-spec models, but not the Ora, with all variants including this feature, along with an auto anti-glare rear-view mirror and heated door mirrors.

While the Standard Range and Extended Range models have electric-folding, power-adjustable door mirrors, with a turn indicator in the housing, the auto-folding powered door mirrors on the Ultra and GT come with a memory function.

It’s one size fits all with the GWM Ora in terms of its single front-mounted electric motor, which produces 126kW of power and 250Nm of torque.

The front wheels are driven via a single-gear automatic transmission.

The main difference is found with the battery. The Ora Standard Range comes with a 48kWh lithium-ion battery using LFP (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry, while the Extended Range, Ultra and GT models have a larger 63kWh ternary lithium battery with NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) chemistry.

Based on the WLTP standard, the Ora Standard Range will travel for up to 310km before the battery is fully depleted, the Extended Range and Ultra models can go as far as 420km, while the GT tops out at 400km.

Using an 11kW three-phase AC charging port will provide a 10-80 per cent recharge in a claimed 5.5 hours, while DC fast-charging up to 80kW provides the same capacity in just 41 minutes, according to GWM Australia.

The Ora includes a Single Pedal Drive mode that allows the driver to use the car’s regenerative braking to bring the car to a standstill without needing to touch the brakes.

The GWM Ora measures 4235mm long, 1825mm wide and 1603mm tall, with a 2650mm wheelbase and ground clearance of 120mm.

Boot capacity is 228 litres with all seats upright, expanding to 858 litres with the second row folded down.

All GWM Ora EVs have the same electric motor output, so it’s a matter of weighing up driving range (battery size) and equipment levels across the model range – with your budget top of mind.

The Ora Standard Range sees you on the road for a tad over 40 grand and comes with a long list of safety, tech and convenience features. The 310km range is handy, and this is the one I’d put my money on.

However, if you plan on the occasional adventure outside the urban sprawl, the Ora Extended Range, with the same kit as the Standard, gives you up to 420km and might be better suited to your needs.

How much does the 2024 GWM Ora cost?
Standard Range – $39,990
Extended Range – $45,990
Ultra – $48,990
GT – $51,990
*Prices exclude on-road costs