GWM announces capped price servicing for Ora

CHEAP and cheerful is not a phrase usually associated with vehicle servicing. Now, Chinese importer GWM is turning that on its head with the introduction of $99 capped price servicing for its forthcoming Ora electric hatch.

The budget busting EV will cost less than $100 per visit to the service department for the first five years of ownership, gifting the Ora with the title of one of the most competitively priced CPS programs in the county.

GWM says the deal undercuts the CPS pricing of all electric vehicle competitors within a similar price bracket.

Service intervals for the GWM Ora are pegged at 12 months or 15,000km (whichever comes first) and can be undertaken at any one of the importer’s 84 dealerships nationwide.

The five-star ANCAP rated GWM Ora is priced from $44,490 drive away locally and is backed by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with five-year roadside assistance coverage.

First shipments of the five-door model – which is sold in other markets as the Ora Good Cat or Funky Cat – are expected in showrooms this month. The vehicle will be known simply as the GWM Ora in the Australia and New Zealand markets.

Available with two battery options, a 48kWh unit offering 310km driving range (WLTP) or a 63kWh unit offering 420km (WLTP), the Ora may be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 41 minutes.

Power outputs are listed at 126kW and 250Nm, delivered to the front wheels, with selectable one-pedal operation. For comparison, the MG ZS EV sends 130kW and 280Nm to its front wheels and has a 320km claimed range.

The GWM Ora is comparable in size to the Nissan Leaf (priced from $50,990 + ORC with outputs of 110kW/320Nm and 270km claimed range), measuring 4235mm long, 1603mm high, 1825mm wide and with a wheelbase of 2650mm.

Offered in three grades – Ora Standard Range, Ora Extended Range and Ora GT (to be available at a later time) – the line-up includes a long list of standard equipment and “almost every conceivable safety feature” as standard, says GWM Australia.

Safety equipment across all variants includes seven airbags, rear parking sensors, auto emergency braking (with pedestrian, cyclist and crossing detection), adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function, blind-spot monitoring and lane change assist, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane centre keeping, emergency lane keep, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition and camera-based driver drowsiness detection.

The GWM Ora range is available in a choice of five exterior two-tone colours: Hamilton White, Sun Black, Glacier Blue, Mars Red and Aurora Green. Except for Hamilton White, all paint hues attract a $595 premium.