Top Gear South Africa picked the GWM ORA 03 as its Bargain of the Year at its inaugural TopGear South Africa Awards.
The Awards were held last week at the luxurious Steyn City Helistop in Johannesburg, and it was attended by representatives from across the automotive industry. In total, 24 awards were made to various vehicle brands and representatives from the automotive industry.
“It was a welcome surprise to receive the award for the Bargain of the Year,” says Bianca van Staden, Head of Marketing for GWM South Africa and its all-electric sub-brand ORA.
“It is fantastic recognition for the team at GWM ORA, who has worked non-stop for the past year to introduce this all-electric brand at the best possible price.”
The GWM ORA 03 was introduced in South Africa in November this year. It immediately took up the position as South Africa’s most affordable electric vehicle, offering not only the best possible entry price, but a range that is nearly double that of its nearest competitor.
“With ORA the engineers at GWM had a completely blank slate. They redesigned the vehicle to offer not only the best possible purchase price, but deliver a great driving experience, have the best range in its class and come jam-packed with features,” says van Staden.
This combination of great range, performance and a low entry price caught the attention of the TopGear judges who chose the ORA against thousands of other models and model ranges on the South African market.
“While the GWM ORA is not the most affordable vehicle in South Africa, it is the most affordable EV. Not only that, but its introduction has also shifted the market for EVs considerably and brought this new technology within range of many more South African motorists,” says Avon Middleton, Publishing Partner of Top Gear South Africa.
Middleton and his team’s experience of the ORA mirrors that of esteemed publications across the world.
In the United Kingdom, a notoriously demanding market, the ORA was selected as the Which? Car Best Buy in the Medium-sized Car Category. At these awards, the judges praised the ORA for not only being the most affordable EV vehicle on the market, but for introducing a range of safety and luxury features previously unknown in this segment of the market.
Staying in Europe, the ORA also received the award as the safest five-star rated car in its class from the European New Car Assessment Programme. This is an especially significant award since the ENCAP is widely considered to be the strictest crash test award of its kind in the world and it applies strict battery-safety tests to electric vehicles.
A few months after winning this award, the GWM ORA 03 won the Green NCAP Life Cycle Assessment Award in Europe. This award considers the environmental impact of a vehicle during its design and manufacturing stage, its useful life cycle, and its eventual recycling.
The GWM ORA 03 was one of only four vehicles to receive a five-star rating, thereby certifying its low environmental impact and the responsible engineering by GWM that considers the ORA’s carbon footprint and environmental impact at every step of its life cycle.
“Many of these awards are usually made to more established and far more expensive electric vehicles. For the GWM ORA 03 to win awards for its engineering, environmentally friendly design and value-for-money, while being the most affordable electric vehicle on the market is a singular achievement of which we are extremely proud,” says van Staden.
The GWM ORA 03 is available in South Africa from R686 950.
Four models are available, starting with the ORA 03 Super Luxury. All models are sold with a GMW connectiveCARE charging system for easy at-home charging, a 7-year / 200 000 km vehicle warranty and an even more impressive 8-year / 150 000 km warranty on high voltage parts. All models, regardless of price also have a full 7-year / 105 000 km service plan and an unlimited kilometre / 7-year roadside assistance plan.
For more information on the GWM ORA 03, please visit gwmora.co.za
