2026 GWM Ora 5: Cutesy electric SUV spied ahead of expected Australian launch

The GWM Ora 5 electric SUV has been spied testing in Europe, providing the strongest indication yet it won’t be a China-only model – with Europe and potentially Australia on its export list.

Revealed in China in September 2025, the Ora 5 is similar in size to the BYD Atto 3 and Kia EV3 electric SUVs.

While not officially locked in for Australia yet, GWM Australia chief operating officer John Kett told CarExpert earlier this year the new SUV is a shoo-in for local dealers.

“We obviously have Ora sitting in the small car segment. In the small SUV segment, we will certainly have an Ora small SUV next year,” Mr Kett said, without specifically naming the Ora 5. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.

Yet there’s no other Ora small SUV that fits the local GWM boss’s description, which could also be joined by the Ora 7 – a bigger EV SUV again – which could take on the Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X.

At 4471mm long, 1833mm wide, and 1641mm tall, the Ora 5 will be positioned above the Ora 3 city hatch in terms of size and price, sold simply as the Ora in Australia and known in other markets as the Funky Cat and Good Cat.

The Ora 3 is the only model GWM offers from its Ora brand here, but the 5 takes the same design cues, such as round headlights, window-frame shape and curvy silhouette.

All Chinese-spec Ora 5s use a 150kW/260Nm single electric motor driving the front wheels, with a lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery, although the battery capacity has yet to be revealed.

The Lightning Cat sedan sold in China (also known as the Ora Sport) offers LFP and ternary lithium batteries between 63.87kWh and 83.49kWh with up to 705km CLTC range, which could also be used in the Ora 5.

Across five model grades in China, the Ora 5’s claimed driving range starts at 480km on the more lenient CLTC cycle, with two higher-spec versions offering 580km CLTC range.

Inside, there’s synthetic leather trim, a 15.6-inch centre screen running GWM’s latest Coffee OS 3 operating system, Apple CarPlay, and a 360-degree camera.

Two higher-spec models use LiDAR – technology recently dropped by Volvo after a dispute with a supplier, despite the automaker claiming it reduces crashes – with lower grades of Ora 5 using only cameras and ultrasonic sensors.

There’s also adaptive cruise control, automatic parking, traffic sign recognition and rear autonomous braking on top-spec versions.

GWM Ora sales in Australia are down 41.8 per cent year-on-year to the end of November, with its 688 sales only ahead of the recently launched Haval H7 SUV among the GWM models sold here.

With 42,782 sales, GWM was the tenth best-selling auto brand in Australia in 2024.

The company said it intends to become a top-five brand by 2027, which, based on the latest figures year-to-date, would mean an annual sales figure of around 78,000.

That’s the number of vehicles current fifth-placed Hyundai is on track to sell in Australia for the full year in 2025.

GWM has said its top five push will include at least seven new models added to its local lineup, including the Haval Jolion Max in both plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and electric vehicle (EV) versions.

The Wey brand – GWM’s luxury arm and rival to BYD’s Denza – will also arrive here in 2026, with the Wey 80 people mover due in the first half of the year.

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