► Your essential GWM Ora 03 briefing
► Great Wall’s new European EV play
► A surprisingly compelling electric hatch
This is the GWM Ora 03. It’s an electric hatchback designed to compete with the likes of the Volkswagen ID.3 and Cupra Born – but it undercuts both of those cars on price. Prices for the generously equipped First Edition model will start from just £31,995.
Ora is the dedicated electric off-shoot brand of the Chinese pick-up truck manufacturer Great Wall Motors. The company recently took the decision to expand into Europe – and the firm’s keen pricing appears to have struck a chord with UK motorists. Ora says it has already taken more than 6000 expressions of interest from British buyers.
The 03 had its official European debut at the 2022 Paris motor show.
What happened to the name?
‘Funky Cat’ was certainly a brave choice for a car badge. Perhaps too brave – from January 2024, as part of a European renaming strategy the Ora Funky Cat becomes the GWM Ora 03.
The first versions of the 03 to reach the UK will feature a 48kWh battery pack and a 169bhp electric motor, which Ora says has enough poke for a 0–62mph time of 8.3 seconds. Top speed is 99mph and, on a full charge, the EV will cover a claimed 193 miles.
If that’s not quite enough for your daily commute, might we suggest moving a little closer to work? Or, if that isn’t feasible, just wait a bit because Ora will soon launch a 63kWh version of the 03 which will have a maximum range of 260 miles.
80kW DC fast charging is standard across the line-up, which means the 48kWh version will charge from 15 to 80 percent capacity in just over half an hour. The EV also supports 11kW AC three-phase charging and 6.6kW home charging.
What about the equipment?
You would think that a £32,000 EV of this size would be relatively Spartan – but you’d be wrong. Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blindspot detection and a clever traffic jam assist system that can steer, accelerate and brake the car when you’re caught in a queue.
Inside, you get leatherette seats (which hardly smacks of quality, but we’ll let it slide given the price), dual-zone climate control, a wireless smartphone charger and keyless go. There’s also a pair of 10.25-inch displays – one for the infotainment system and one for the gauge cluster. They’re grafted into the same unit and mounted atop the dashboard.
Early First Edition models are available in a choice of bold paint finishes and bright interior colour schemes. The standard car will come with Nebula Green paint and black upholstery, but buyers can swap this for Aurora Green paint with green interior trim or Mars Red paint with red interior trim. Funky, isn’t it?
I’m sold. How can I get my hands on one?
The GWM Ora 03 is sold by International Motors Group – the same company which imports Subaru and Isuzu to the UK, Ireland and Sweden. The firm has a few retailers, most of which are in Southern England, though there are some further afield.
There are also several aftersales centres for servicing and maintenance. And of course, you can order your Ora 03 online too.
