Could SA’s most affordable electric vehicle (EV) be the best family car at this year’s instalment of the South African Car of the Year (SA COTY) awards? Well, GWM certainly thinks so.
For the upcoming SA COTY awards, the GWM ORA 03 received a nomination in the Family category. In addition, it is one of only 18 vehicles vying for top honours as SA’s car of the year.
“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,” said Bianca van Staden, Head of Marketing, Brand and Public Relations at GWM SA.
Van Staden added that, while the ORA made headlines as the most affordable EV in SA, [the ORA has] overwhelmingly been compared to traditional city and family vehicles, even though it is powered by a battery electric set-up. In addition, to support this statement, Van Staden mentioned the awards that the GWM ORA 3 has won prior to being nominated for SA COTY.
“In Britain, the ORA 03 was picked as Which? Magazine’s Best Buy in the category for medium-sized cars, a category that considers both internal-combustion engine (ICE) and new-energy vehicles (NEVs).” But that’s not the only award the ORA 03 has received. Indeed, it has also been crowned as 2023’s best Urban Car by Driving Electric.
However, although awards are feathers in one’s cap, safety is paramount. So, for any automaker, receiving a top-class safety rating is important.
In the European New Car Assessment Programme (EURO NCAP), the ORA 03 was picked as one of the safest vehicles in its class. So, how many stars did it receive? In short, five out of five.
“While the GWM ORA 03 is a pioneer in the market for affordable, innovative and stylish EVs, it is also a sound choice for most traditional vehicle buyers in its price range. That makes the ORA the first true crossover between traditional motoring and new EVs,” said Van Staden. “We believe that, as a family vehicle, the GWM ORA 03 is without comparison, and we believe that it will impress the judges of both competitions and motorists across SA.”