The Funky Cat from the Chinese electric car company Ora, which belongs to the Great Wall Motors group, is an electric compact car in the format of the VW ID.3, which is immediately declared a rival. The chubby, round Ora Funky Cat offers the best standard equipment in its class. However, at steep prices.
An eye-catcher that leaves something perplexed. At the rear a touch of the first Nissan Leaf, the bonnet even allows echoes of the Beetle. In addition, a pinch of chubby thanks to cheerful curves. The new one comes from the electric car company Ora, is called Funky Cat and belongs to the Chinese group Great Wall Motors. He is based in the 9.2 million city of Baoding, which is largely unknown to us, around 2.5 hours south-east of Beijing, and sells a good 1.3 million cars of different brands every year.
So you should take the new player seriously. The first test appearance of the Ora is already visually curious. Good-natured googly eyes, slightly sloping roof that ends in a rump above the rear window. Tail and brake lights are hidden at the bottom of the window. The clever solution will probably become one of the hallmarks of the newcomer. The whole thing is a compact car in the 4.20 meter format of the VW ID 3, which has been proclaimed as a rival.
When you get in, the impression of the interior is surprising, in addition to the feeling of space. Examples are the chrome-plated switch bar below the air vents, the covering of the instrument panel, which is upholstered with quilted artificial leather even in the basic model. In addition, a wide double monitor with good resolution.
Our Ora had the more powerful battery on board, which at 63 kWh is 15 kWh larger than in the base model. He should get 420 instead of 310 kilometers. However, the more range requires an extra charge of 5500 euros, so the little one costs 44,490 euros. Brave for a still unknown car from distant China. So the search for the peculiarities that justify the big hole in the household map begins.
Even in the maze of streets on the still sleepy holiday island of Mallorca, the Ora delights with its manoeuvrability, effortless steering, which leaves nothing to be desired in terms of accuracy. The same applies to the brakes, the stability when dancing through the switchbacks on the descent to Sóller and the almost imperceptible body roll.
The next eye-opening experience when stepping energetically on the right pedal. The Funky Cat becomes “Schmidt’s cat” and purrs away singing softly. The few tourists in their rental cars are probably amazed when the strange mobile just shoots away when overtaking. Admittedly, almost all electric cars can do that, but that wasn’t necessarily to be expected with the Ora. During relaxed cruising there is time to discover the many extras. The newcomer speaks when he is woken up with a self-chosen name. Looks for a charging station, the cinema program and doesn’t even have to fit when asked about the current water temperature of the Mediterranean Sea and names 15.5 degrees.
The small box on the left of the windscreen pillar confused. A camera is hidden inside, which focuses on the driver’s face. She is supposed to recognize a lack of concentration, keeps an eye on possible tiredness and thus remembers other abnormalities. It always takes some getting used to, as a loudspeaker demands more concentration every time you accidentally touch the center line with a stern voice. This should be reworked. In all kittens, the most important assistants are standard, distance radar as well as blind spot warning, automatic high beam, lane keeping or a brake assistant even when reversing. The 360-degree camera or keyless access is still rarely standard in this class.
Future buyers, of whom there are said to be a good 6,000 this year, have to put up with restrictions despite all the sympathy. At 228 liters, the trunk behind the rear seats is almost 160 liters smaller than in the VW ID 3 of the same length.
The same applies to the weight that the Ora is allowed to carry. With passengers, it must not exceed 355 kilograms. The heavy battery takes its toll.
The bottom line is that the little Chinese brings likeable new wind into its class, scores with exceptionally complete equipment and will probably also lure the well-known rather skeptical drivers into an electric car. The fear of not finding a workshop is superfluous, by the way. The Ora is sold by the same importer as the traditional Mitsubishi brand.
Ora Funky Cat 300 GWM – specifications
