Last month ORA sold 6.619 electric cars in China and its best selling model was the ORA R1 (Black Cat) with 5.141 units delivered to customers.
ORA is the affordable EV brand of the giant Chinese automaker GWM (Great Wall Motors) that also owns the battery cell maker SVOLT.
Ever since the launch of its first model, the iQ in late 2018, ORA made clear that the ultimate goal is to brings its electric cars to Europe.
Our cars are designed and built in compliance with international standards and we definitely set our sights on international markets including Europe.
While ORA didn’t have much success with the electric sedan iQ, things improved a lot with the introduction of the smaller R1 and R2.
2021 ORA R1 (Black Cat)
- Length: 3.495 mm
- Width: 1.660 mm
- Height: 1.560 mm
- Wheelbase: 2.475 mm
- Weight: 977/990/1.000 kg
- Range: 301/351/405 km (NEDC)
- Battery: 28,5/33/37 kWh (SVOLT cells)
- Motor: 35/45 kW and 125/130 N.m of torque
- Maximum speed: 102 km/h
- On-board charger: 6,6 kW
- DC fast charging: 30-80 % in 30 minutes
- Price (after subsidies): from 69.800 to 84.800 yuan (8.544 to 10.380 euros)
2021 ORA R2 (White Cat)
- Length: 3.625 mm
- Width: 1.660 mm
- Height: 1.530 mm
- Wheelbase: 2.490 mm
- Weight: 10.010/1.032 kg
- Range: 360/401 km (NEDC)
- Battery: 34/38 kWh (SVOLT cells)
- Motor: 35/45 kW and 125/130 N.m of torque
- Maximum speed: 102 km/h
- On-board charger: 6,6 kW is standard in long range versions and optional in standard range versions for 1.000 yuan (122 euros)
- DC fast charging: 5-80 % in 40-45 minutes
- Price (after subsidies): from 75.800 to 88.800 yuan (9.278 to 10.870 euros)
However, while both the ORA R1 and the R2 seem good electric cars, the electric car aimed to Europe seems to be the ORA ES11 (Good Cat) that is already in production. First deliveries should happen anytime soon in China.
The ORA ES11 first appeared at the MIIT’s website homologated with a NCM battery, but recently appeared listed with a cobalt-free LFP (LiFePO4) battery.
This electric car is now on sale with two battery options, a NCM battery for a 501 km range and a LFP battery for a 401 km range.
ORA ES11 (Good Cat) specs
- Length: 4.235 mm
- Width: 1.825 mm
- Height: 1.596 mm
- Curb weight: 1.510 kg (same weight for both batteries)
- Gross weight: 1.885 kg
- Maximum speed: 150 km/h
- Motor: 105 kW and 210 N.m of torque
- Consumption: 13 kWh/100 km (LFP battery) and 13,2 kWh/100 km (NCM battery)
- Range: 401 km (LFP battery) and 501 km (NCM battery)
- Battery energy density: 141,3 Wh/kg (LFP battery) and 177,2 Wh/kg (NCM battery)
- Fast charging: 30-80 % in 30 minutes
- Drag coefficient: 0,273 Cd
There’s some conflicting information in MIIT’s documents. The general documents about the car show different weight and energy density figures from what we have in the documents specifically about the batteries as you can see below.
NCM battery (CC7000BJ02ABEV)
- Range: 501 km
- Weight: 370 kg
- Capacity: 59 kWh
- Energy density: 159,46 Wh/kg
LFP battery (CC7000BJ01CBEV)
- Range: 401 km
- Weight: 346 kg
- Capacity: 48 kWh
- Energy density: 138,72 Wh/kg
Anyway, the Good Cat has a starting price of 105.000 yuan (13.185 euros) for the 401 km range version and 135.000 yuan (16.952 euros) for the 501 km version.
As usual, Chinese automakers announce range and consumption in the fairy-tale NEDC test cycle, in the more realistic WLTP test cycle the consumption would be around 17 kWh/100 km and the range around 300 km for the LFP battery and 375 km for the NCM battery version.
With similar dimensions to the popular Volkswagen ID.3 but with a design that reminds us a mixture between a MINI and a Porsche, ORA Good Cat is definitely an electric car that will be welcome in Europe.
To differentiate from European alternatives and establish itself as a reliable brand, ORA should offer an extremely good warranty in Europe, like BYD already does in South America with a 500.000 km or 8-year warranty for the battery and 150.000 km or 6-year warranty for the vehicle.
In 2018 when GWM created the sub-brand ORA for affordable EVs, it expected that by 2020 its first electric cars would arrive in Europe. Today the goal of reaching Europe already this year might seem optimistic, but ORA is growing steadily and an arrival in 2021 is definitely achievable.
Which electric car do you think would be more successful in your country? An ORA White Cat for 15.000 euros or an ORA Good Cat for 20.000 euros (LFP version) and 25.000 euros (NCM version)?
More info:
https://www.oraev.com/es11.html
