GWM Ora Cat / Ora 5 revealed in China filings – larger, SUV crossover version of Good Cat launching soon

GWM’s Ora brand is alive and well. There’s been no new models from the Baoding carmaker’s EV brand since 2022 (Ora 07 a.k.a. Lightning Cat), and that’s very unusual in a market where a facelift appears every year. Finally, we have something new, and here’s the GWM Ora Cat, which will also be called Ora 5 and Ora i5 in other markets.

Revealed in filings submitted to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Ora Cat looks pretty much like the Ora Good Cat we’re familiar with, which is also called Ora Funky Cat and Ora 03 in other markets. It’s supposed to be a crossover/SUV sort of car though, unlike the regular hatchback Good Cat, although it’s not easy to tell both apart.

The Ora Good Cat received a facelift in China this year, and this Cat has the same cute Porsche 911-style face with round eyes. The bumper design with two vertical vents at the extremes is similar too, as is the horizontal LED light strip embedded in the rear glass panel. What’s (slightly) different is the rear number plate cutout and the ‘diffuser’ design – in any case, you’ll need both cars side-by-side to play spot.

Here’s a trick – check for roof rails. Other highlights include regular door handles (no flush pop-ups), a charging flap on the front right fender, 18-inch two-tone wheels and an optional LiDAR sensor.

According to the filing, the Cat is 4,471 mm long, 1,883 mm wide and 1,641 mm tall – that makes it 236 mm longer, 58 mm wider and 45 mm taller than the Good Cat. The crossover’s 2,720 mm wheelbase is 70 mm longer, so this isn’t just a Good Cat dressed up as an SUV – it is actually larger.

MIIT data quotes approach and departure angles as 17 and 25 degrees, respectively. Kerb weight is 1,630 to 1,655 kg, depending on the trim level. Under the Cat’s curvy sheetmetal is a single 201 hp (150 kW) motor made by GWM’s subsidiary Hycet, powered by an LFP battery pack made by SVOLT. Ora’s latest Cat looks appears ready for the market, so expect a launch in China soon.

Meanwhile, check out the facelift that the Good Cat received in China this year. We probably won’t be getting the facelift so soon, but a sportier-looking ‘GT’ version of the current car is a better bet.