The new all-electric Ora Lightning Cat has been revealed at the 2023 Shanghai Auto Show as a rival for Hyundai's Ioniq 6
Chinese brand GWM Ora is set to expand its feline-friendly line-up with the arrival of the Ora Lightning Cat later this year.
However, cat fans will be disappointed to hear that the quirky names are likely to be dropped in favour of a numeric naming system. The Funky Cat is likely to be renamed Ora 03, while the new Lightning Cat will take the 07 number. That leaves plenty of room for additional Ora models, the next of which is likely to be a mid-sized SUV called Ora 05.
The Lightning Cat is a Hyundai Ioniq 6-sized and shaped four-door, with Ora’s Porsche-like family front end dominated by wide circular headlamps. Meanwhile, the back end has echoes of Bentley models, with its angled rear lights sitting on top of the rear haunches.
The interior follows the theme of the Funky Cat, too, with a large central infotainment screen and three instrument dials in front of the driver. The swoopy dash is topped with decent-quality materials, while – in spite of the car’s slippery shape – there’s decent leg and headroom in the back.
We’re some way off UK specifications and prices, but in China, where the car is just going on sale, the Lightning Cat can be had with a large 83.5kWh battery giving a range of over 400 miles on a single charge. Performance is swift, too, with just over 400bhp from the dual-motor system getting the Lightning Cat – as the name suggests – from 0-62mph in a mere 4.3 seconds.
The Lightning is a clean Cat, too, featuring an ultraviolet sterilisation system that kills many known bugs, while it can be had with up to 28 smart sensors to help with autonomous driving functions.
GWM Ora also revealed another Cat at the Shangai Auto Show, the Ballet Cat. However, this all-electric pastiche of the original VW Beetle is not set to go on sale in the UK.
Keyword: New Ora Lightning Cat set to join Funky Cat in brand's expanded range