ORA is getting closer to its goal
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.
ORA iQ
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.
ORA ES11 (Good Cat)
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
august:ora sold 3.748 black cats and 1.035 white cats for a total of 4.783 cats.
september: ora sold 5.141 black cats and 1.478 white cats for a total of 6.619 cats.
This is a 38% increase. Reason for iq sales being so low is that there is a general move towards crossovers.
Sadly the retro styled models sell well only for a short time and then sputter later.
Better for Ora to dump that and start working on electric crossover models.
I believe september saw a big increase in chinese nev sales.
“Sadly the retro styled models sell well only for a short time and then sputter later.” Is their any proof for this statement?
VW Beetle
Fiat 500
Mini Cooper
All these vehicles sales are down. Mini is just boosted by Clubman and Countryman. If they are not aerodynamic, its not good for electric vehicle range.
The Fiat 500 has been on the market without a major generation change for almost a decade. It’s expected for sales to be down — and it’s absolute not “a short time”.
Why is it so heavy? 1,9T is quite a weight for such a car. Zoe with similar battery is 1,5T
The curb weight is 1.510 kg (not loaded with either passengers or cargo).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curb_weight
Oh, dont know how I missed that. Thanks for correction! Weight now seems normal for that type of vehicle with given battery.
Meanwhile in EU, Renault Groupe is, like Tesla, selling CO2 credits to other manufacturers. Looks like they are confident over their 2020 EV sales targets.https://www.schmidtmatthias.de/post/exclusive-renault-opens-its-eu-co2-pool-up
Hi Pedro, sorry for total offtopic. I found that Hyundai Kona has in recent time a significant problem with battery fires and they are talking about a huge recall of 77.000 vehicles. LG Chem says that they have no clue what is the problem. Do you know something more?
Hi Pajda.
I don’t know much, the 77.000 recalled Hyundai Kona Electric models were manufactured between September 2017 and March 2020. At least the European made models don’t seem affected since European production only started in March 2020.
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20201011000245
The battery fires now affect the world’s two biggest cell makers, CATL and LG Chem. Let me put my tinfoil hat on so I can create an interesting conspiracy theory…
This type of mini-evs should be exported to japan where 35% of all vehicles sold are mini vehicles. There are lot of charging stations as well. For many pensioners whose family has only 2 members, these 2+2 seater should be very convenient.
They give lot of importance to these ultra fuel efficient vehicles.
Unfortunately the political history between Japan and China probably precludes this possibility.
I like the looks…
But depending on price of the Dacia, would probably rather have one of those as second family car to complement the Leaf ’18 40kwh… But in my view to be successful in Europe ORA (and other Chinese brands) really must offer good assistance (knowledge and quick parts) as well as above average warranties besides slightly lower prices… a good bargain is good, but a car is a very big purchase for a family (probably the second highest after a home)…
Nissan (which builds Leafs in Sunderland), don’t have parts here… IN Portugal last year I waited for 4 months for a front bumper at an official dealer after someone entered a roundabout without noticing the Leaf was on it…. luckily the car was not heavilly affected…imagine the car waiting for a part for 4 months?!?
Bring them all !!!
🙂
I think the Ora Good Cat looks really nice, if it will get 3 or more safety star and a price at around 20k euro, that means around 15k euro after incentives in my country. I will probably buy one
Pedro,
Off topic: Might you consider writing an article comparing Kona EV, Kuga (Escape) PHEV and Bolt EV cells? Are they all the same (NMC 622?) and what are your thoughts about fire risk? What other cars use this pouch cell? Obviously, each car has a different physical configuration and different cooling strategy / TMS; nevertheless, it would be interesting to get some more details. Thanks!
Hi Barry.
I think that the Hyundai Kona Electric and Chevrolet Bolt EV recently moved from NCM 622 to NCM 712 battery cells, but I’m not sure yet. If I get more solid information I’ll write something about it.