Affordable EV hatches and zero-emission city cars are all but non-existent in the Australian market.
Now, an electric hatch dubbed the Ora Good Cat has been spotted in Melbourne. I got a chance to see it in person and do some comparisons between that and Australia’s best-selling EV, the Tesla Model 3.
The momentum for EVs is starting to pick up in the SUV space with a couple of affordable models about to be delivered to thousands of Australians over the coming months.
The EV hatch space, on the other hand, has been quite limited with the exception of the veteran Nissan Leaf and a recent model from Mini.
Funky GWM Ora Good Cat EV hatch in Melbourne
Now a Victorian registered EV from Great Wall Motors (GWM) has been spotted in the wild. While a local moniker has not yet been confirmed, it is called the Ora Good Cat on overseas markets and it might be heading our way in the near future.
Inspired by the VW Beetle from the front, its styling is unlike any other EVs on offer in Australia – which is not at all a bad thing.
Having seen it in person, I got a chance to compare Australia’s best-selling EV, the Tesla Model 3 and here are some of the differences.
Ora Cat is taller than the Tesla Model 3
Seeing the Ora Good Cat next to the Tesla Model 3 offers a great opportunity to compare sizes. It’s a bit taller than the Tesla Model 3. On the other main dimensions such as the width and length, it’s smaller.
We know Tesla has done a bit of work on ensuring their EVs are as efficient as they can be, particularly the Model 3 with has one of the lowest drag co-efficient of any mass-produced cars.
The Ora Good Cat’s roof slopes down like the Tesla Model 3 but doesn’t go quite as low in the rear as the sedan.
On the rear, there is also a single taillight as part of the rear windscreen which is quite unique too.
A sunroof was also seen in the spotted EV hatch which is quite good to see in this segment. The sharkfin antenna is also noticeable and reminds me a bit of the BMW series antenna module on their roofs.
Local launch yet to be announced
While the spotted EV hatch may be here for testing, it’s unclear when the local launch might be.
In other right-hand drive markets where the Ora Good Cat has been launched including Thailand, its starting price for the 47.8 kWh version has fallen under $40,000 AUD. That’s for an EV that offers 310 km of WLTP range.
There is also another more expensive version with a bigger battery pack that has over 400 km of WLTP range. DC fast charging rate for both can be done at up to 60kW using CCS2 port.
All in all, it’s good to see manufacturers starting to test and potentially bring newer, more affordable EV models that will appeal to broader Australian drivers and offer the much-needed variety of EVs.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.