Ora, the electric vehicle (EV) brand under Great Wall Motor, has unveiled a premium sedan that will join its UK lineup in the first quarter of 2024. The sedan, already on sale in China as the Ora Lightning Cat, has been revealed in pre-production form at the Fully Charged Live event in Farnborough, UK. Ora seeks to compete with premium EV models like the Tesla Model 3 and the Hyundai Ioniq 6. The Ora Lightning Cat features the brand’s distinctive retro-futuristic design, with an emphasis on quality, technology, and specification. While pricing and specifications for the UK model will be announced in the coming months, GWM anticipates they will be competitive with brands like Tesla, Hyundai, and Kia.
According to Ora, the sedan will have a driving range of over 300 miles on the WLTP cycle, thanks to an 83-kilowatt-hour battery. The sedan’s UK version may receive a different name from the Lightning Cat. The Ora brand has been expanding rapidly in recent years, with the brand’s first UK model, the Funky Cat compact hatchback, slated for launch in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Global customers
The brand aims to offer affordable and high-quality EVs to customers globally, with a particular focus on European markets. As more EVs enter the market, consumers will have a wider range of choices when looking to purchase a new vehicle. Ora is joining the fray with its retro-futuristic design and competitive pricing and specifications, seeking to carve out a place in the growing market for premium EV sedans.
The upcoming Ora Lightning Cat premium sedan from Great Wall Motor’s Ora EV brand will be available in both two- and all-wheel-drive versions, with the latter boasting 395 horsepower and 501 pound-feet of torque in its most powerful form. This variant is expected to reach 62 mph from a standstill in approximately 4.4 seconds. Ahead of its UK launch in 2024, a pre-production show vehicle of the Ora Lightning Cat has been unveiled at the Fully Charged Live event in Farnborough, UK. This vehicle will be utilized to conduct localized tests before the final UK production version is released.
The electric sedan is expected to include a range of premium features, such as a large glass panoramic roof, synthetic leather seats, and multi-color ambient lighting, all of which were showcased on the pre-production vehicle.
Pricing
GWM Ora anticipates announcing the UK specifications and pricing for the electric sedan in the coming months, but the automaker expects it to be competitive with other premium EVs in the market, such as the Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq 6, and Kia EV6. In China, the Ora Lightning Cat is sold with an 83-kilowatt-hour battery, which is expected to be offered in the UK as well. The company anticipates a driving range of over 300 miles according to WLTP standards. The Ora Lightning Cat’s retro-futuristic design DNA, combined with premium quality, technology, and specifications, positions the brand to strengthen its foothold in the UK EV space.
Toby Marshall, Managing Director, GWM ORA UK, said “The reveal of our next premium electric vehicle in the UK is a really momentous occasion for the brand. It signals the high level of commitment and investment from GWM ORA to establish itself as a leader in multiple segments across the UK. We always knew our first model, ORA Funky Cat, was just the start. There are lots more exciting things to come.” At the Fully Charged Live show, interested buyers can make initial reservations for the new Ora electric sedan. The first ten customers will receive limited edition concept art of the car and a bottle of champagne in a branded display box upon delivery. The Funky Cat First Edition, Ora’s first model in the UK market, was launched in November 2022. More variants of the compact EV, including one with a larger battery option, will be introduced later this year.
