GWM doesn’t offer as many electric vehicles (EVs) as rivals like MG parent SAIC Motor, and the ones it does offer have a peculiar design. But as the EV strategy evolves, some things will remain the same.
“Electric vehicles, especially models like Ora, were originally designed as smaller city vehicles,” GWM Chairman Jack Wei said through a translator.
“In the future we will have more conventional electric vehicles.
“However, large electric vehicles are less likely as the original concept of electric vehicles is for urban mobility. Therefore, the focus remains on smaller, efficient vehicles for urban use.”
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His comments come even as GWM unveiled an electric version of its new 5.2-5.3 meter flagship luxury SUV, the Wey V9X, at the Beijing Motor Show this month.
GWM has not yet released technical specifications for the battery-powered V9X, with the model initially launching as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
In fact, GWM offers a wide range of PHEVs, from mid-size crossover SUVs to large body-on-frame SUVs and off-road vehicles.
So far, at least, the range of electric vehicles has been limited to the Ora range of vehicles – including the Ora hatchback sold in Australia and the Ora 5 crossover that will replace it later this year – all of which have a curvaceous, cute design.
The Ballet Cat is an example of this strategy, a small hatchback specifically described by GWM as a “female-only vehicle” and offering features such as Goddess Mode and Warm Man Mode.
GWM founded the Ora brand in 2018, but recently confirmed that it would no longer be just an electric vehicle brand.
Unlike other Chinese electric vehicle brands such as Xpeng and Zeekr, which have shifted to offering plug-in hybrids and range-extended electric vehicles (EREVs), Ora will add not only electrified powertrains with gasoline engines, but also combustion-powered vehicles without electrification.
Notably, GWM still hasn’t launched a midsize electric SUV, despite the Tesla Model Y taking the title of the world’s best-selling car in 2023, spurring a flood of competitors.
However, GWM will launch the Haval Jolion Max mid-size crossover SUV in Australia later this year, which will be available with an electric drivetrain – the first model outside of GWM’s Ora range to be available with an electric drivetrain. Like the Ora 5, it will also be available with petrol and hybrid drive, depending on the market.
Looking at other Chinese brands in Australia, Chery and Omoda Jaecoo both also have a limited number of electric vehicles, with only one small SUV each.
BYD, on the other hand, offers everything from city cars to mid-range sedans and SUVs, a total of six electric vehicles. It also sells full-size electric vehicles in the Chinese market.
MG currently has five in Australia, with more to come, and offers a similarly deep bench seat, including a large SUV and even a convertible, with a ute to follow.
GWM’s current largest electric vehicle, at least until the Wey V9X launches in China, is the Ora Lightning Cat. It is a mid-range sedan with a length of just over 4.8 meters, and a station wagon version is in preparation. Although GWM brought an example to Australia for media evaluation, the model was never rolled out locally.
The automaker did introduce a full-size electric sedan, the Mecha Dragon, in 2021, but it never reached mass production.
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