Chinese car brand Ora enters EV market with Cat 01
- Ora Cat 01 revealed
- Volkswagen ID.3 rival has 265-mile range
- Priced from £25,000
Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall Motors is returning to the UK car market with the all-new Ora Cat 01 electric car. It will go on sale in the UK with prices expected to start from around £25,000. Ora is Great Wall Motors' new EV-only brand.
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Ora Cat 01 EV price and release date
The Ora Cat 01 will cost around £25,000 when it goes on sale in the middle of 2022. You can already register your interest on the company's website. Cracking value is one of the Ora's big selling points next to its most obvious rival, the Volkswagen ID.3 that starts from £32,000 for a 260-mile range model.
Ora Cat 01 EV specs
Name aside, the Ora Cat 01 electric car's most talk-provoking feature is its looks, which seem to have been created by throwing retro elements – oval LED headlights, bonnet power bulges, a rear light bar and the like – into a jelly mould. We'll let you make your own decision, but, if not attractive, you could at least say it is distinctive.
It might look like a Peugeot e-208 rival but with dimensions of 4235mm, 1825mm wide and 1596mm high, the Ora Cat's dimensions are a closer match for the Volkswagen ID.3.
Inside, the Ora should have room for four adults, although headroom might be a little tight for six-footers sitting upright in the back. The 228-litre boot is less impressive – a Volkswagen ID.3's is about 50 per cent bigger.
The Cat gets back on the front paw with its infotainment system, which should be slicker to use than the Volswagen's and comes as standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Like the outside, the interior design is a mixture of modern and retro. You get two 10.5-inch infotainment screens on the top of the dash with fake suede trims, while lower down you'll find toggle switches that have been nicked straight from the MINI hatch.
Tech includes a 360-degree parking camera that augments an image of the car onto its surroundings, plus you get facial recognition that sets the car up with your user profile automatically.
How does it drive? It's too early to say, but you'll be able to choose from 40 or 63kWh batteries for a range of 201 or 260 miles, respectively. Both cars produce around 168PS and get from 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds.
And, with the cat out of the bag (sorry), all that remains to be said is that it will come with a five-year mechanical and eight-year battery warranty.
Who makes the Ora Cat 01?
Ora is a pure-EV brand owned by Chinese carmaker, Great Wall Motors which previously sold the Steed pick-up.
How much is an Ora Cat 01?
Prices for the Ora Cat 01 have yet to be confirmed but expect it to cost around £25,000.
Can you buy a Chinese electric car in the UK?
Chinese-owned MG already sells electric cars in the UK, while Ora is set to sell its Cat 01 EV from summer 2022.