Great Wall Motors (GWM), also the owner of the Haval brand, has launched its first electric vehicle (EV) in the domestic market.

Ora is the Chinese carmaker’s new-energy-vehicle-specific brand, with the Ora 03 a smaller hatchback in the range.

At a starting price of R686 950, it is one of a very limited number of more affordable EVs in South Africa.

The top-of-the-range Ora 03 is priced at R835 950.

“With Ora 03, we are introducing a new era for GWM locally, as we want to be part of the shift towards EVs and a greener, sustainable future,” says Haval Motors South Africa marketing, brand and public relations head Bianca van Staden.

“We want to offer our customers a range of mobility solutions, from internal combustion engines to hybrids to EVs. Ora is the product that will be driving our EV ambitions.”

There are 20 dealers selling the Ora brand countrywide.

The vehicle will be offered with a 7 kW home charging wallbox solution.

The Ora 03 has earned a five-star safety rating in the Australasian New Car Assessment Programme.

Designed by a team led by former Porsche designer Emanuel Derta, the Ora range consists of four models – the 300 Super Luxury, the 400 Super Luxury, the 400 Ultra Luxury, and the 400 GT Ultra Luxury.

All four vehicles are powered by a permanent magnet synchronous motor delivering 126 kW of power and 250 Nm of peak torque to the front wheels.

This allows the Ora to move from zero to 100 km/h in 8.5 seconds, and to reach a top speed of just under 160 km/h.

Coupled with a 48 kWh lithium- ion phosphate battery, the electric motor in the entry-level standard-range 300 Super Luxury delivers consumption of 16.7 kWh/100 km for a range of up to 310 km.

The extended-range 400 Super Luxury employs a 63 kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery, with a consumption of 16.5 kWh/100 km, to deliver a range of up to 420 km.

This is similar to the figures indicated for the fully equipped 400 Ultra Luxury, with the flagship 400 GT Ultra Luxury delivering a range of up to 400 km.

Recharging the smaller battery in the 300 Super Luxury from 10% to 89% with a 64 kW DC charge will take about 50 minutes, and for the extended range 400 GT Ultra Luxury it will take about an hour.

With the slower 11 kW AC charger it will take about 5.5 hours to completely recharge the smaller battery in the 300 Super Luxury.

Taking into consideration a rate of about R3.50 a kWh for AC home charging, it will cost the owner R170 to R250 to fully charge the Ora 03, says GWM SA.

Using DC fast-charging at a rate of R5 to R5.80 a kWh, the cost for a full charge will be about R250 to R300.

Given the current price of petrol (R23.44 a litre) and diesel (R24.16 a litre), compared with electricity (R2.50 a kWh), and using a consumption figure of 5 ℓ/100 km for petrol and diesel-driven internal combustion engine cars respectively, compared with 16 kWh per 100 km for the Ora EV, the cost-per- kilometre will be R0.40 a kilometre travelled, versus R1.17 a kilometre for a petrol car, and R1 a kilometre for a diesel car, notes GWM SA.

Features inside the Ora 03 vary according to price, but may include wireless phone charging; a six-way power driver’s seat; rear-parking sensors; an electric-powered tailgate; a panoramic sunroof; heated, ventilated and massaging front seats; power-folding mirrors; automated parking; tyre pressure monitoring; traffic-sign recognition; lane-change assist; and a 360° panoramic camera.

The GWM Ora 03 is sold with a seven-year/200 000 km vehicle warranty; an eight-year/ 150 000 km warranty on high voltage parts, a seven-year/ 105 000 km service plan; and a seven-year/unlimited km roadside assistance promise.

Service intervals are 15 000 km/12 months.