Electric vehicle production to commence in Holden factory, under Chinese control.
The Great Wall Motor (GWM) is set to launch its new Ora hatchback in Q3 of this year, marking a significant step in the company's expansion in the Thai market. The vehicle will be produced at the Rayong plant, which GWM acquired in 2020 after the Colorado production ended.
The Thai-built Ora will undergo a minor exterior refresh but will receive a major interior and technology upgrade. This includes the introduction of V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) technology, offering an output of 3.3kW, although the extent to which these improvements will be incorporated in the Thai-built car remains unclear.
The shift in production of the GWM Ora hatchback to the Rayong plant fulfils a promise made in 2020. The plant has been significantly re-tooled and modernized by GWM, ready to meet the demands of electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing.
The Rayong plant currently has a maximum output of 80,000 vehicles annually, and it is also the production site for the Haval H6 in hybrid and PHEV forms, as well as the Tank 300 diesel. However, there are no plans to shift their production for the Australasian market at this time.
The new Ora is expected to be competitive with the MG4 hatch and BYD Dolphin after the upgrades. It will feature a carryover 126kW/250Nm front-mounted electric motor, and its driving range is anticipated to be similar to the current car, offering a standard range of 310km or an extended range of 420km.
GWM has long promised more electric vehicles are in the pipeline as Australia's new vehicle efficiency standards crack down on fleet average carbon emissions later in the decade. The company's next move locally is the launch of the updated Haval H6 mid-size SUV and its H7 soft-roader spin-off.
In addition, GWM has revealed that the Great Wall Motor model that will be produced in the Rayong plant in the near future is the electric vehicle ORA Good Cat GT, with a market launch expected in 2025. This production ramp-up in Rayong coincides with Thailand's EV boom and government incentives promoting local EV manufacturing.
The new Ora is set to receive major upgrades in 2026, including a new steering wheel, multimedia screen, refreshed software, and a tweaked interior with improved practicality and features. These updates are currently planned for the Ora model in the Chinese market, but it remains to be seen if they will be incorporated in the Thai-built version as well.
The Rayong plant was previously used for Holden Colorado production, but GWM's investment and commitment to EV manufacturing in Thailand are set to bring a new era of sustainable mobility to the region.
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