GWM is finally bringing its Ora electric vehicle (EV) brand to South Africa and the first model that will be touching down is the compact Cat.
The Cat is launching locally in 2023, GWM confirmed to TopAuto, and it is reaching showrooms sometime towards the end of the second quarter/start of the third quarter.
While pricing is still being kept under wraps, it is expected that the Ora will be the cheapest EV on sale once it reaches our market, similar to other countries in which it is currently being sold including Australia and the UK.
What to expect
The GWM Ora Cat sports a single-motor setup that transmits 126kW and 250Nm to the front wheels, connected to either a 49kWh or 63kWh battery pack.
Driving range for the small EV is pegged at 320km for the smaller module and 420km if the bigger one is installed, and from a standstill, the 1,540kg Cat accelerates to 100km/h in 8.3 seconds. “Where the law permits” it can also reach speeds of up to 159km/h, said GWM.
Plugged into a 6.6kW AC cable, the Cat completes the 15-80% charge cycle in five hours and 24 minutes, with an 11kW AC charger it takes three hours and 12 minutes, and at the maximum supported rate of 64kW DC, the same state of charge is attained in 43 minutes.
Like other vehicles under the GWM banner, the Cat is chock full of new-age technologies and brings plenty of nice-to-haves to the table.
No-cost fitments comprise leatherette upholstery, keyless entry and start, electric seats, automatic air conditioning, LED lights with high-beam assist, adaptive cruise control, wireless charging, rear parking sensors, 360-degree cameras, and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and infotainment display.
As expected from a modern EV, advanced driver assistance features are plentiful, too, as lane-keep assist with centering, traffic jam assist, rear cross-traffic alerts, and blind-spot detection all form part of the standard specification sheet.
The competition
The Ora Cat’s biggest competitor in South Africa will be none other than the BMW-built Mini Cooper SE, which currently retails for R742,102.
This front-wheel-drive hatch puts out a higher 135kW and 270Nm which sees a slightly better 0-100km/h time of 7.3 seconds, and top speed is limited to 150km/h. A smaller power source of 32.6kWh supplies a far lower maximum driving distance of 217km, however.
The Mini is also quite a bit smaller than the GWM, coming in at 3,850mm long, 1,727mm wide, and 1,432mm tall – compared to the newcomer’s 4,235mm, 1,603mm, and 1,825mm. Despite this, both hatchbacks offer a load capacity of 211 litres.
The Cat beats its closest rival in key areas and if it manages to retail at a more wallet-friendly price point than the Mini, we reckon it has the potential to noticeably accelerate EV adoption in South Africa.
GWM Ora Cat
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