South Africa’s most budget-friendly electric car, the GWM ORA 03, stands as a top contender for the title of Car of the Year. Selected as a finalist in the 2024 South African Car of the Year awards, hosted and adjudicated by the Guild of Mobility Journalists, the GWM ORA 03 competes in the Family category, alongside the BMW X1, among 18 other finalists.
Bianca van Staden, Head of Marketing, Brand, and Public Relations at GWM South Africa, expresses her pride in the ORA 03’s recognition: “We are very proud of the fact that the GWM ORA 03 was picked as a finalist in the SA Car of the Year awards and that it competes in a ‘traditional’ category for family vehicles.”
Van Staden highlights that although the ORA 03 made headlines as South Africa’s most affordable electric vehicle, it has been predominantly compared to traditional city and family vehicles rather than solely electric vehicles.
Supporting this statement, Van Staden mentions several awards the GWM ORA 03 has won, including being named Which? Magazine’s Best Buy in the medium-sized car category and winning the Best Urban Car for 2023 by Driving Electric. Additionally, it received top marks in the environmentally friendly life-cycle assessment test by the European Green New Car Assessment Programme (Green NCAP) and was recognized as the safest car in its class by Euro NCAP and Australasian NCAP.
In South Africa, the GWM ORA 03 is also contending for the top spot in the category of affordable electric vehicles in the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards. It has already been awarded Bargain of the Year in the Top Gear South Africa Awards in December 2023.
Van Staden concludes, “While the GWM ORA 03 is a pioneer in the market for affordable, innovative, and stylish electric vehicles, it is also a sound choice for most traditional vehicle buyers in its price range. That makes the ORA the first true crossover vehicle between traditional motoring and new electric vehicles.”
To summarize the features of the GWM ORA 03: priced at less than R700,000 for the entry-level model, it is the most affordable electric vehicle in South Africa. Launched in late 2023, it won the hearts of the SAGMJ judges in less than four months.
As a family car, the GWM ORA 03 delivers on all fronts. Weighing only 1,555 kg, it accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 8.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of just under 160 km/h. Powered by a 48 kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery, the standard-range 300 Super Luxury GWM ORA 03 boasts an average electric consumption figure of 16.7 kWh/100 km, offering a range of up to 310 km (WLTP cycle), making it the best range-per-rand of any EV in South Africa.
Inside, the GWM ORA 03 features two 10.25-inch touchscreens (instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment system) integrated into the front panel, with every function just a fingertip away. Additionally, it offers a rotary-style gear selector and up to 228 liters of luggage space. To further facilitate EV ownership, 20 dedicated ORA dealers nationwide offer GWM 7kW home-charging wall box solutions.
“With its inclusion in both the SAGMJ Car of the Year and Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, we believe that the GWM ORA 03 will capture the hearts of fans of cutting-edge technology and traditional motoring alike,” says Van Staden.
“We believe that as a family vehicle, the GWM ORA 03 is without comparison, and we are confident that it will impress the judges of both competitions and motorists across South Africa,” she concludes.
