Herding Cats — ORA Meetup in Western Australia

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We met the Nice Wall ORA (known as an ORA Cat in China) on the Noosa Electrical Car Expo on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast two years in the past. Different articles on CleanTechnica you would possibly like to take a look at are right here and right here.

I used to be excited as a result of at the moment, it was the most cost effective electrical automobile out there in Australia at AU$46,000 (US$29,000). It’s now promoting for about AU$36,000 (US$22,500), and fewer in some locations. My, how occasions change. Australia now has three automobiles which are about the identical value as a Corolla hybrid in Australia — the GWM ORA, the MG4 within the low $30,000s, and the BYD Dolphin within the excessive $30,000s. Value parity? Are we there but?

Nice Wall has marketed an entire litter of “Cats” in China — Good, Black, White, Funky, and iQ. Australia is just receiving one model. Virtually 800 of those have offered in Australia since launch. World gross sales of the ORA Cats are approaching a number of hundred thousand. The fashion was described as a retro aesthetic by former Porsche designer Emanuel Derta. The ORA is made in China and Thailand. As Thailand is a right-hand drive market, it’s almost certainly that our ORA Cats come from there. As such, they might be known as Wichien Maat — a newly renamed however outdated cat breed, associated to however completely different from the Western, modern-style Siamese cat. In line with The Worldwide Cat Affiliation: “The Thai is the breed devoted to preserving the native pointed cat of Thailand in as near its authentic kind as attainable.”

Ant Day shared an ORA meetup on Fb, and has graciously allowed me to make use of his pictures of the event to spotlight the recognition of the Nice Wall Motor Funky Cat in Perth, Western Australia. The assembly was held on the Valley Social Membership in Swan Valley, a really stunning space stuffed with wineries and vacationer points of interest. Ant demonstrated how simple it’s to organise such a meetup — begin a Fb group and unfold the phrase concerning the group through different GWM Ora teams in Australia, in addition to some others together with “I ruined the weekend.”

One proprietor even introduced the canine. Ant experiences that Ruby, the canine, didn’t look too bothered by all of the felines. I used to be curious, what do you name a gathering of cats? Apparently, it’s a “clowder.”

“Clowder originates in Center English from the time period ‘clotter,’ which meant, ‘to huddle collectively.’ It additionally has roots in ‘muddle’ which is what my clowder creates in my home.” Ant believes that this was the biggest GMW ORA clowder up to now in Australia.

“There was fairly a bit of data sharing about this quirky and distinctive automobile. Some points with ‘glitches’ or dropouts on Android Auto and CarPlay skilled by a number of folks, and a standard criticism concerning the indicators in addition to the truth that one pedal driving needs to be turned on each time you begin the automobile. Apart from that, these autos are nice, a easy experience and able to good vary,” Ant informed me.

“We additionally did some charging information sharing and I introduced some charging tools alongside (a Tesla cellular connector and adapters and a KHONS 3 part 22kW EVSE) to point out. I counted 14 cats and all variants of the automobile had been represented — Normal Vary, Prolonged Vary, and GT. ORA gross sales in WA had been actually sturdy just lately after some nice costs on the automobiles right here and ORAs are fairly frequently seen on our roads.” That is good to listen to, the ORA is kind of uncommon in Queensland. Ant estimates that round 300 ORAs have offered in Perth by now. “The costs for run outs went as little as $AU26,000 ($US 16000) after rebates, drive away. However they’re now between $30k and $36k together with on street prices.”

Ant is the chair of the Western Australia department of the Australian Electrical Automobiles Affiliation. He at present has 4 electrical autos at dwelling. In his storage are: a Tesla Mannequin 3, a Hyundai Kona EV, a Nissan Leaf, and, after all, the GWM ORA. “Our ORA is my oldest baby’s automobile. It’s the one with the tardigrade plushie on it.” Ant has been driving EVs for 12 years. He began with a Mitsubishi i-MiEV, his second EV was a Leaf ZE0, then the Kona, and at last the Tesla Mannequin 3. Not too long ago he changed the Leaf with a more recent mannequin Leaf. That’s fairly an eclectic assortment. I ponder which is his favorite?

The Western Australia department of Australian Electrical Automobiles Affiliation has 260 members and are extremely lively locally. They meet frequently and everyone seems to be welcome — you don’t even must personal an EV! “The WA department of AEVA has loads of expertise and pleasant recommendation on all method of electrical transport — whether or not or not it’s e-bikes, scooters, motorbikes, automobiles, utes, boats and even flying machines; we’ve got you lined. We will additionally help with the design and building of your personal electrical automobile or bike, or present no-jargon recommendation on deciding on a manufacturing EV.”

Nice Wall Motor additionally imports the Haval, Tank, and Nice Wall manufacturers. It’s choices embody PHEVs and HEVs. In line with drive.com, “Gross sales of Haval SUVs contributed 26,660 of GWM Australia’s 42,783 gross sales in 2024, with Haval alone outselling BYD, Chery, Suzuki and BMW for the yr.”

“In line with GWM, Ora stands for ‘open, dependable and various’, whereas additionally paying homage to Leonhard Euler, a notable Swiss mathematician whose surname is phonetically translated as ‘Oula’ in Mandarin Chinese language. The naming of the ‘Cat’ collection of autos is reportedly based mostly on Deng Xiaoping’s well-known quote: ‘Regardless of if it’s a white cat or a black cat; so long as it could possibly catch mice, it’s a good cat.’”

Gary Thomas Storm shared his view on the ORA as a worth buy. You would possibly like to take a look at his video evaluation of the ORA right here. “I nonetheless assume the Ora is the perfect worth EV in Australia: cheaper than MG4 and BYD Dolphin, extra options than MG4, extra highly effective motor than the bottom Dolphin, higher infotainment system than MG4, higher supplies than MG4, MUCH cheaper service prices than MG4 or BYD ($99 per yr for Ora vs. $1200 each 4 years for MG4 — $300 in yr 2, $900 in yr 4, … alternating).

Some thought the great cats appeared like blue fridges.

Ant’s plan to convey collectively ORA house owners from round Western Australia seems to have been successful. Feedback underneath his Fb publish confirmed nice appreciation. There was one quirky one: “Would like to see a Porsche at one finish and a Mini Cooper on the different finish subsequent time for a litter of Kittens.” Maybe subsequent time.