Introduction | Lead

After seven years of twists and turns, Ora has embarked on significant reforms this year. Lv Wenbin, with a solid background in technology research and development, has taken full charge of Ora's brand management. The brand's image has shifted from being "more woman-friendly" to positioning itself as "stylish premium vehicles." Moreover, it has redefined its sales targets and established independent sales channels.

This article is produced by | Heyan Yueche Studio

Written by | Cai Yan

Edited by | He Zi

Full text: 1,941 characters

Reading time: 3 minutes

In 2025, seeking proactive transformation, Ora finally unveiled its first new car in nearly three years in November—the Ora 5. The new model comes with a pre-sale price range of RMB 109,800 to RMB 142,800. By abandoning the cat-themed naming and integrating Great Wall Motor's latest new energy technology, can the Ora 5 serve as the lifesaver for Ora's automotive ambitions? How much further does Ora need to go to re-enter the mainstream market?

Ora's Transformation Amidst Uncertainty

Throughout the launch process of the Ora 5, whether it was enlisting Hou Minghao as the brand ambassador, hosting a down-to-earth launch event at the Baoding Love Plaza, or retaining the distinctly familial exterior and interior design, this inaugural car of Ora's brand transformation did not undergo significant adjustments in its promotion or product direction. Instead, it seemed more like a replication of the original path, supplemented with intelligence enhancements, to gauge market feedback on the Ora brand or its new model.

Specifically, at the product level of the Ora 5, the exterior and interior design continue to embody the 'Cat Series' design language of Ora, with the most notable change being the addition of sharp lines to the front fascia. In terms of power, it utilizes the second-generation short-blade battery, with 45.3kWh and 58.3kWh batteries providing 480KM and 580KM of pure electric range, respectively.

Intelligence stands as the core highlight of the Ora 5, equipped with the third-generation Coffee Pilot Ultra assisted driving system, supporting highway/urban NOA. The in-car system employs the third-generation Coffee OS. The entire intelligent system, in collaboration with Orin-Y and MediaTek 4NM chips, LiDAR, and 27 sensors, has reached mainstream levels.

In terms of details, the Ora 5 offers dual branding options with ORA and GWM logos and retains Ora's iconic 'Queen's Co-Pilot' seat. Analyzing these two detail configurations, it is evident that Ora's positioning for the new model aims to, on one hand, break free from previous gender labels through 'dual branding' + sharp lines + LiDAR, and on the other hand, retain the brand's original base with the 'Queen's Co-Pilot' seat.

As Ora's 'test model' for re-entering the market, the Ora 5 has not sparked significant online discussion based on the results so far. This is not a positive sign for Ora. After seven years of ups and downs, the brand's presence has waned. However, from another perspective, it provides Ora with more ample space for adjustment and time for product refinement.

Another reason for the Ora 5's lack of significant market attention is the fierce competition in the current compact pure electric SUV market.

In terms of cost-effectiveness, BYD's Yuan/Song models dominate the front, while Leapmotor B10 poses a threat from behind with its competitive pricing; in terms of personalization, Chery's iCAR V23 has already developed an accessory culture; in terms of design/handling, LYNK & CO Z20 and Zeekr X also boast large user bases.

Over the seven years of Ora's ups and downs, the mainstream market labels of cost-effectiveness, personalization, design, handling, and family orientation have been claimed by leading brands. Coupled with Ora's previous female-oriented positioning, which has deeply ingrained itself in the minds of some consumers, the Ora 5 faces significant pressure after its launch, given the unclear new label and diminishing reputation of the old one.

A Race Against Time

Regarding the brand's relaunch, the challenges facing Ora are not limited to the competitiveness of its new model products but, more importantly, the increasing urgency for sales.

From 2018 to 2021, Ora experienced a surge in sales, rising from 3,515 units to 135,028 units, thanks to its precise brand positioning and outstanding vehicle exterior design. However, in 2022, due to reasons such as profitability and high battery costs, the production of the Black Cat and White Cat models was discontinued, causing Ora's growth momentum to come to an abrupt halt, with annual cumulative sales of 103,996 units, a year-on-year decline of 22.98%. By 2024, sales had dropped to 63,300 units, a year-on-year decline of 41.69%. In the first ten months of this year, sales were only 35,300 units, a year-on-year decline of 32.99%.

Under such sales conditions, Ora's brand sales channels were merged into those of Haval. Additionally, in December 2024, all services of the Ora APP were migrated to the Great Wall Motor APP.

The consecutive decline in sales has led to a loss of brand positioning, users, and trust. Coupled with Great Wall Motor's hesitation in the pure electric vehicle sector and the looming adjustment of new energy vehicle purchase tax policies in 2026, Ora's brand relaunch has become a race against time.

To rely on Ora as the group's pure electric pioneer in the future, Great Wall Motor must currently revisit the four major processes of 'technological refinement—brand renewal—channel reconstruction—globalization upgrade.'

According to Great Wall Motor's 2024 financial report, Ora's brand R&D investment has surged by 217% year-on-year. In the second half of 2025, Ora plans to launch two global strategic models developed over three years with an investment exceeding RMB 1 billion, further strengthening Great Wall's product matrix and competitiveness in the pure electric market.

At the technological level, Ora urgently needs to catch up in its core three-electric technologies. While the Great Wall system has made strides in Honeycomb Energy, motor, and electronic control technologies, it has yet to present market-stunning heavyweight innovations in mainstream pure electric vehicle technologies such as 800V high voltage, ultra-fast charging systems, and intelligent systems.

Regarding brand market positioning, Ora's shift from being "more woman-friendly" to positioning itself as "stylish premium vehicles," moving from a precise female demographic to a broader audience, may seem to expand the brand's reach. However, for the brand, it means the need to create more market-competitive products to quickly establish a presence. Taking XPENG as an example, without deliberately catering to female users, XPENG's female user base accounts for 30%, significantly higher than traditional fuel vehicles, relying solely on its strong product competitiveness.

Channel independence serves as a crucial measure for Ora's relaunch. Currently, Ora has been merged with Haval's network for nearly a year, and the combined network stores are located in non-core areas of lower-tier cities, which do not align with Ora's new positioning as a premium compact car. Therefore, Lv Wenbin's goal of expanding the number of stores to 400 by 2025 is no small feat. Regardless of whether the brand's situation can provide dealers with sufficient confidence, the process of detaching from the network, including approval time, site selection planning, and dealership promotion, will require significant effort and time.

Commentary

What will Ora look like after shedding its female-exclusive label? From the "technology-driven" strategic transformation to the launch of the new Ora 5 model, Ora's decline has indeed gradually improved in the latter half of this year. However, Ora previously held a strong hand but missed the best opportunity for development due to mistakes in brand strategy, product layout, and market judgment. Now, attempting to reshuffle and start anew, the market environment and difficulty level have already changed dramatically.

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