News
Coming soon: ORA Funky Cat
Distinctive Chinese-built electric supermini gets fun new name and £30,495 starting price, with first cars due for delivery this autumn
Words by: Dan Trent
Published on 30 May 2022 | 0 min read
China is pushing hard with electric vehicles and establishing itself on the world automotive stage but its brands face an uphill struggle cracking mature markets like the UK and Europe. That could be about to change with the ORA Funky Cat, the distinctive name, generous spec and £30,495 starting price (after the government grant) building on already high levels of excitement for this distinctive new player in the EV field.
For sure performance and premium electric cars with their snazzy looks and ludicrous acceleration may grab the headlines but cars like the Funky Cat are probably more important for helping people make the switch at a more affordable price. Style counts in this sector as well, models like the Fiat 500e, Mazda MX-30 and Mini Electric all trading on trendy looks while established players like the Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf have a proven combination of affordability and useful range. A tough market for a newcomer like the Funky Cat to crack. But under that cute styling it packs some serious engineering.
For sure performance and premium electric cars with their snazzy looks and ludicrous acceleration may grab the headlines but cars like the Funky Cat are probably more important for helping people make the switch at a more affordable price. Style counts in this sector as well, models like the Fiat 500e, Mazda MX-30 and Mini Electric all trading on trendy looks while established players like the Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf have a proven combination of affordability and useful range. A tough market for a newcomer like the Funky Cat to crack. But under that cute styling it packs some serious engineering.
After making a public debut in April ORA UK has confirmed a starting price of just over £30,000 for the fully loaded First Edition, which combines an official 193-mile range with 360-degree cameras, wireless phone charging with CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and Adaptive Cruise Control. Alongside a network of conventional ‘physical’ retailers you’ll also be able to buy the Funky Cat through the ORA Online digital showroom, where you can already register interest or pay a £100 refundable ‘Queue Jump’ deposit to bump your place up the list for when cars land.
To help the leap of faith of going with both a new brand and what will, for many buyers, be new technology ORA will be offering a five-year warranty for the car, the battery backed up by eight-year/100,000 mile cover. While the Funky Cat will be launching with the smaller of the two battery options at the outset it’s still bigger than many rivals and ORA says this will help keep the entry price down, while the range of nearly 200 miles should be enough for most customers. With the retro looks already causing a stir, excitement high for electric cars in general and the Funky Cat’s generous specification it looks like a strong start, though ORA will be conscious European customers have high expectations when it comes to quality and it will have to go the extra mile to win them over from some very established mainstream rivals.
To help the leap of faith of going with both a new brand and what will, for many buyers, be new technology ORA will be offering a five-year warranty for the car, the battery backed up by eight-year/100,000 mile cover. While the Funky Cat will be launching with the smaller of the two battery options at the outset it’s still bigger than many rivals and ORA says this will help keep the entry price down, while the range of nearly 200 miles should be enough for most customers. With the retro looks already causing a stir, excitement high for electric cars in general and the Funky Cat’s generous specification it looks like a strong start, though ORA will be conscious European customers have high expectations when it comes to quality and it will have to go the extra mile to win them over from some very established mainstream rivals.
