Struggling Chinese brand to get huge boost

GWM says it expects Ora to thrive in Australia over the next 12 to 24 months, with much-needed additional models and a broader choice of powertrain options that are more in-line with consumer preferences.

With sales of the sole, ageing Ora hatchback electric vehicle (EV) that was launched back in 2022 down by about 40 per cent year-to-date, hopes are pinned on a pair of all-new SUVs.

Read More About GWM ORA

• Australia's next most affordable EV SUV? 2026 Ora 5 crossover launches overseas as key rival to BYD Atto 3, Smart #1, and Kia EV3
• GWM’s first electric SUV! 2026 GWM Ora Cat shapes up as BYD Atto 3, MG S5 and Hyundai Kona EV rival — but will it be the affordable electric alternative you're looking for?
• Most-improved SUV of 2026 confirmed!

According to GWM Australia Chief Operating Officer, John Kett, Ora will have a larger and more-varied role to play in this country, as part of GWM’s multi-pronged strategy.

“From our perspective, and without announcing our (future) portfolio, we have Ora sitting in the small car segment, and we will have a small SUV next year,” he revealed.

“And, we're still considering a mid-size SUV also coming out of the Ora line-up (for Australia).”

GWM Australia Head of Marketing and Communications Steve Maciver believes Ora’s potential in this country will only be realised when it moves with the market – and that means SUVs, PHEVs and perhaps hybrids.

“EV is certainly not off our radar, it absolutely is,” was his response after Ora’s future in Australia as an EV maker was questioned. “But I think, in terms of the levels of adoption that we expect to see within this market, within the coming years, we expect (hybrids) to accelerate more quickly.

“What we're seeing, though, is right now, from an EV perspective, with Ora we are confirming (the) small SUV Ora, which will come next year. That's the car we've been looking for a while now.

“(But) we think we can do a lot more with Ora… with plug in hybrid, but EV will certainly come behind that as well, for sure.”

Conversely, GWM will expand the hybrid and PHEV-heavy Haval brand into EV territory from 2026, with a battery-electric version of the Jolion small SUV already confirmed.

So, what will the new Ora SUVs be like?

While not much is known about the still-secret mid-sized SUV that could arrive in Australia as early as in 2027, the smaller, recently-unveiled Ora 5 follows in the current Ora hatchback’s footsteps of adopting curvy, retro-themed styling, though this time its looks lean more into Porsche Macan than the classic Volkswagen Beetle.

Clearly closely related to contemporary Haval SUVs inside, underneath is said to be a 150kW electric motor and an LFP battery pack of at least 60kWh capacity, as Ora attempts to lure buyers away from EV rivals like the Smart #1 and #3, Kia EV3 and coming Skoda Epiq.

The Ora 5 will be EV-only for now, but given GWM’s investment in its Hi4-T PHEV powertrain that pairs a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine with a sizeable battery and powerful electric motor, don’t discount the larger SUV going hybrid as well as EV from launch.

Neither can come soon enough for Ora, with just 527 sales in Australia year-to-date in September marking a 41.5 per cent drop over the same period in 2024, despite the hatchback being one of the cheapest EVs on the market from $35,990 drive-away.

In contrast, more-expensive rivals like the MG4 recorded 2650 registrations while BYD’s smaller Dolphin and larger Seal managed to find 2569 and 2955 buyers respectively.

So, does this mean the Ora experiment as GWM’s sole EV has been a failure?

Not according to GWM Chief Tech Officer, Nicole Wu, saying that Ora as an EV-only brand made sense when the decision was made earlier this decade when EVs were still emerging and regarded as a separate category of vehicle. But, with hybrid and PHEV sales booming in China, a strategic rethink has been necessary.

“At the time… five years ago… we thought it was crucial to have an independent brand (like Ora) that only produce electric vehicles,” she revealed. “But gradually now in China, (electrification) market share is up to 50 per cent… and now we see that people's purchasing determination is changing… to (now include) hybrid, PHEV, petrol or diesel.

“So, we are thinking to transform Ora, from a pure electric brand into a multi powertrain strategy.

“A lot of customers’ feedback to us (said) they love (the existing Ora hatchback’s) size, they love the convenience, they love the styling, but that they just don't want EV. They want a hybrid, or even PHEV… so (from a development perspective) we are prepared.”