GWM’s electric sedan known as the ‘Lightning Cat’ in China will rival the Tesla Model 3 and is confirmed for right-hand drive production.
GWM has confirmed the Sport or ‘Lightning Cat’ will follow the Ora hatchas its second model to be produced in right-hand drive. For now only announced for sale in the UK starting 2024, the model has been evaluated in left-hand drive form already in Australia, suggesting a likely introduction locally after 2024.
The newest model from Chinese firm Great Wall Motors is a sedan with a fully-electric powertrain. GWM says exact specifications, pricing and its official export market name are due to be revealed in the next few months. In China, the new car is called ‘Lightning Cat’, although here in Australia it could take on the Sport name.
This new sedan is the second car to hit RHD for export markets from GWM. It’s pitched as competition to Hyundai’s new Ioniq 6, the Kia EV6 and Tesla’s Model 3. The firm says its new offering “shares the brand’s distinctive retro-futuristic design DNA”.
Toby Marshall, Managing Director, GWM Ora UK, said: “The reveal of our next premium electric vehicle in the UK is a really momentous occasion for the brand. We always knew our first model, Ora Funky Cat, was just the start. There are lots more exciting things to come.”
We’ve already seen the Lighting Cat make its public debut at the Shanghai Auto Show earlier this year. It’s 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 Ora Cat, 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. The large glass panoramic roof, synthetic leather seats and interior ambient lights will all be standard features.
In China the car can be had with a 83.5kWh battery resulting in a range of over 640km. 294kW comes from the dual-motor system delivering an impressive 0-100km/h time of 4.4 seconds. There’s also a cheaper single-motor, two-wheel drive version with less power.