Ora could become multi-powertrain brand

GWM’s pure electric Ora sub-brand could soon have petrol engines in its ranks, with mild hybrid and PHEV power on the table for future models.

The current Ora line up extends to just one electric hatchback in Australia, but now, GWM has confirmed future models could be powered by a combination of regular hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains.

As the single-model sub-brand expands, its bigger presence will have knock-on effects to the remainder of GWM’s local line up, with existing models shuffling to make more room, while broadening overall choice and appeal.

Speaking to media at the recent GWM Tech Day in Melbourne, chief technology officer Nicole Wu said the company was likely to introduce more drivetrain diversity to the electric-only Ora sub-brand.

“In China, currently, new energy vehicle market share is up to 50 per cent - 60 per cent is EV and 40 per cent is PHEV,” she said.

“But now we saw that people's purchase determination is changing. They would also consider to purchase a hybrid, a PHEV or a diesel version.

“So we are thinking to transform Ora, a pure electric brand into a multi powertrain strategy.”

Wu explained that the trend is not just limited to the Chinese market, and a change to the core drivetrains of the Ora family would make sense in the Australian market too.

“When we launched our overall brand, a lot of customers feedback to us [was] they love the size, they love the convenience, and they love the styling, they just don't want [an] EV. They want a hybrid, or even they wanted to have the PHEV.”

Exact models that will filter into the Ora line-up are still to be detailed but Wu did reveal the sub-brand would remain representing the smaller end of the growing line-up.

"From a development perspective, we are preparing the overall product with the small powertrain platform.”

For now, the only model confirmed under the future Ora roll-out is the Ora 5, an electric SUV to battle the BYD Atto 3, however, future models could include other members of the broader GWM family such as the F7 compact SUV.

More detail as to how the local range will develop was offered by GWM Australia and New Zealand COO John Kett who outlined the coming months and years.

“Obviously we have Ora sitting in the small car segment. We will certainly have an Ora small SUV next year; so that’s a segment we have Jolion in.”

In addition to the new Ora arrival, Kett explained the Jolion will move up a size category and gain more powertrains, while the Haval H7 will get upgrades to align with its recently updated H6 cousin.

“Jolion will also grow up and be an EV player and a PHEV player in the mid-size SUV segment… H6 we've just launched the PHEV and the new next generation H7 will also be [PHEV].”

Finally, Kett said a second SUV could join the inbound model in the Ora line-up while large SUV models will be represented by plug-in and diesel engines only.

“We're still considering a mid-size SUV coming out of the Ora line-up, and then when we get into large SUV, it'll all be diesel and plug-in hybrids.

“We think we can do a lot more with Ora when we get plug-in hybrid,” Kett concluded.

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