Arriving this summer, the Ora 07 saloon will expand the Chinese firm’s UK line-up to two, joining the smaller Ora 03 (née Funky Cat) hatchback.
Ora, owned by powerhouse GWM, will use quirky styling to bore a niche into the electric saloon segment in a bid to steal customers from legacy brands as it targets the Vauxhall Astra Electric and Peugeot e-308.
To tempt those buyers, the 07, expected to be priced from £35,000, gets four trims offering either a 64kWh LFP (Pure, Pro) or 83kWh NMC (Pro+, GT) battery. In its most efficient form, the 07's maximum range is claimed to be 354 miles (WLTP), which is Tesla Model 3 Long Range levels of long-leggedness.
It’s no slouch either. In top-rung all-wheel-drive GT specification, it offers as much as 402bhp, which propels the 07 from 0-62mph in 4.5sec.
Although it has yet to arrive in Europe, the EV was launched in 2021 in its native China as the Ora Lightning Cat. Back then, it was lauded as the catalyst for turning around Ora’s dropping sales.
The brand hopes this can be mirrored in Europe, as sales dropped at the start of 2024, after the brand sold just 9000 units in 2023.
Before it arrives on our shores later this year, we’ve been given the keys to a near-production UK-spec car.
What's the GWM Ora 07 like to drive?
What is immediately clear is how different the 07 looks in the metal: a mess of proportions and a pug-like face rather than, as photos suggested, an extended version of the quirky 03. What that means is, from the outset, this could be a difficult car for Ora to sell on looks alone.
But this is something chief designer Andrew Dyson has already acknowledged. Instead, the GWM-owned brand will use the 07’s competitive finance deals (expected to match the 03’s 0% APR) and a plethora of standard kit (reversing camera, heated leatherette seats, adaptive cruise control etc) to attract buyers.
Usability is another key area. The 07, like its 03 sibling, has a well-sized interior, with plenty of storage bins and space for four adults. It’s much airer than its legacy rivals. Quality within is also very good, with soft leather-like seats offered in even the base form.
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