An Ora with a unique aura

The Ora 07 is an electric saloon built on Great Wall Motor's (GWM) Lemon E platform.

- Christopher Tan

Probably choosing to ignore the negative citrus connotation, the Chinese group proudly declares that Lemon stands for Lightweight, Electrification, Multi-Purpose and Omni-protection Network.

Let us see if the 07 lives up to those values.

Measuring 4,871mm long, 1,862mm wide and 1,500mm tall with a 2,870mm wheelbase, the 07 is an executive class fastback weighing 1,965kg. This makes it slightly smaller but significantly lighter than the 2,465kg Mercedes-Benz EQE300.

Against the BYD Seal, which has almost the same footprint, the Ora 07's weight advantage is less noticeable. So, it is lightweight when compared with some electric cars.

With the 07 being fully battery-powered, there is no argument that it is in step with the "E for electrification" in Lemon. Like thousands of other electric models.

What about M for multi-purpose? I suspect the Chinese meant "modular", which makes more sense since this unfortunately named platform is used for a number of other GWM products, including the Ora Good Cat, which arrived in Singapore two years ago and which has since been renamed 03.

First, the 07 is not exactly multi-purpose. It is clearly a sedan. But even for a sedan, it lacks versatility in one glaring area - the boot. Its 333-litre capacity is rather limited for a car its size. Loading bulkier items will be a huge challenge, even if you collapse the rear seat backs. The opening to the passenger compartment is constricted and barely accessible.