Great Wall Motors R1 Unveiled at Auto Expo 2020

Chinese Carmaker Great Wall Motors has unveiled the world’s cheapest EV, ORA R1, at the 2020 Auto Expo. Followers of IndianAuto will be aware of the fact that Great Wall Motors will be beginning operations in India very soon, starting with its SUV brand Haval. ORA will follow soon with its range of electric vehicles.

Also Read: New Study Claims Electric Vehicles Have Higher Emissions Than Diesel Cars

Great Wall Motors R1 unveiled at Auto Expo 2020

GWM recently launched ORA R1 in China, where it enjoys subsidy under China’s EV laws.  Along with the R1, two other EVs were unveiled by ORA in China, R2 and iQ. Out of these two, the former is still in the concept stage.

GWM R1 - Interior preview

As for technical specifications, ORA R1 is available in two variants: a 35kWh battery variant and a 29.5kWh battery variant. The former achieves a range of around 350 km, while the latter is claimed at 300 km. Both the variants max out at a top speed of 102 Kmph. The top-variant thus offers more range than that of both MG ZS EV and Tata Nexon EV. The former has a claimed range of 340 km, while the latter does 312 km on a single full charge.

GWM R1 - Exterior Design

Prices of the GWM R1 have not been revealed for India. As the launch may still be a year or two away, we will have to wait long for that. As for the China-spec version, the prices of the ORA R1 begin from 59,800 Yuan and go up to 77,800 Yuan. This comes to an equivalent of Rs. 6 to 9 Lakh. Compared to the other EVs we have in India, this comes at quite a low entry price. The MG ZS EV is priced upwards of Rs. 20.88 Lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi), while the Nexon EV begins at Rs. 13.99 Lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi).

In order to keep prices low, GWM will be localising operations in India. The Chinese car giant has already bought Chevrolet’s Talegaon facility, thus establishing a base of operations in our country. The R1 will most probably be a CKD import, with manufacturing in China and assembly in India. This will help keep the costs around the price range discussed above, Rs. 6 to 9 Lakh.

We shall be updating info related to Auto Expo 2020 on the fly. Keep following IndianAuto for more such news.