Great Wall Motor has started production of the Ora 5 compact SUV in Thailand, marking the first overseas manufacturing operation for the Ora brand’s new model lineup.
The first units were produced at the company’s plant in Pluak Daeng District in Rayong Province, Thailand, where the automaker manufactures internal combustion, hybrid and battery-electric vehicles on a shared production line.
GWM developed the Ora 5 in internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid and fully electric versions, although only the electrified variants will be available in Thailand.
The company said the Ora 5 EV is expected to start at 649,000 baht ($17,000) under Thailand’s EV 3.5 incentive programme, pending government approval. The hybrid version is priced from 709,000 baht.
The Ora 5 replaces the smaller Ora 03 hatchback, also marketed in some regions as the Ora Good Cat or Ora Funky Cat. Compared with its predecessor, the new compact SUV is longer, taller and has a larger wheelbase.
In Thailand, GWM is offering the electric version with a single drivetrain configuration using a permanent magnet synchronous motor producing 150 kW and 260 Nm of torque. The vehicle is paired with a 58.3-kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack capable of charging at up to 6.6 kW AC and 120 kW DC.
According to the company, the Ora 5 EV delivers a driving range of up to 520 kilometres under the NEDC testing standard. In Europe, the same configuration is rated at 435 kilometres under the WLTP cycle.
The Rayong facility is GWM’s second full-production manufacturing plant outside China after its Tula plant in Russia. The Thai site has annual production capacity of 80,000 vehicles and has been operating since June 2021.
GWM previously said around 60% of production from the Thai factory would be allocated to the domestic market, with the remaining output intended for export markets. The automaker also stated that roughly half of the components used in locally produced vehicles are sourced within Thailand.
The company is also evaluating additional overseas production locations for the Ora 5. Conrad Groenewald said in an interview last year that South Africa, North Africa and southern Europe were under consideration for future manufacturing expansion.
Separately, Parker Shi told Reuters that Spain and Hungary are among the countries being considered for a future European production plant.
GWM said it has already received 5,000 pre-orders for the Ora 5 in Thailand, with customer deliveries expected between May and June.
The automaker also plans to launch the Ora 5 in Germany and other European markets this summer, offering ICE, hybrid and battery-electric variants.
