Auto Expo 2020
GWM R1 (Ora R1) Electric Car Unveiled at Auto Expo 2020; Rivals Mahindra eKUV100
Tagged as the world’s cheapest electric car, the GMW R1 micro hatchback is priced at Rs 7.20 lakh in China.
- GWM R1 gets a dual-tone shade
- The electric car gets a 33 kWh battery pack
- The micro hatch can sprint at a top speed of 100kmph
Amid the hassle of Auto Expo 2020, a tiny car attracted the running eyeballs. The Great Wall Motors pavilion was illuminated with the presence of 10 electric vehicles and the centre of attention was, of course, the GWM R1 aka Ora R1. Touted as the world’s cheapest electric vehicle, the R1 carries retro looks with round headlamps. It was showcased at the Auto Expo 2020 in two variants. There is more to its looks, let’s get into more details.
Design
The design is too conventional and may qualify for a ‘love it or hate it’ jibe. The GWM R1 gets rounded headlamps integrated into a broad white strip covering the grille area with charging point in the centre. Daytime running lights are offered below the projector headlamps, in place of the fog lamps. The contrast combination of white and blue/orange shade looks decent.
Cabin
GWM has tried to give the R1 a trendy look. To cut costs, instead of the regular roll-up/down windows the R1 features butterfly glass. The dashboard gets a simple and clean layout. The twin-pod instrument cluster and contrasting appliques on seats make the cabin look funky.
It gets safety features such as ABS, dual airbags, parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring system and hill start assist among others. For entertainment on the go, it gets a 9-inch touchscreen unit with voice command feature.
Battery & Power
The Chinese automaker has embraced the GWM R1 with a 33 kWh battery pack which puts out 47PS of max power and 125Nm of adequate torque. Moreover, it gets fast charging option, which can juice up the battery up to 80 per cent in a mere 40 minutes with DC charger. The electric car can reach a top speed of 100kmph.
So, when is the GWM R1 (Ora 1) launch?
Not anytime soon. The GWM R1 (Ora 1) will be launched at a later stage as the Chinese automaker will be introducing the Haval H6 SUV as its first product in the Indian auto market in 2021.
