Will this be Australia's first Great Wall Haval electric car? Ora Cherry Cat small SUV with long range and new battery type to compete with MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona Electric

The Ora Cherry Cat small SUV, possibly under a different name, could be the first GWM Haval electric vehicle in Australia.

Great Wall Motors (GWM) has detailed its latest all-electric small SUV under its Ora EV sub-brand ahead of its imminent launch in China, and it could be the brand's first EV in Australia.

Sharing its fundamentals and dimensions with the recently launched Haval Jolion small SUV, the Ora Cherry Cat offers a huge range in two specifications and an all-new battery chemistry that is completely cobalt-free.

Cherry Cat can be equipped with either a 61kWh battery pack suitable for a Tesla Model 3 with a range of 470km (in milder NEDC testing mode) or a massive 80kWh battery pack rated for 600km. The new battery chemistry, which is supposed to be used only in the larger 80kWh variant, is a new type of lithium-ion battery that specifically removes the rare, toxic element cobalt of dubious origin from its design.

Cherry Cat is similar in size to Haval Jolion.

The oddly-named Cherry Cat uses a 150kW/340Nm electric motor with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive.

Its silhouette is similar to that of the Jolyon, although it has a blank grille and softer edges. Standard equipment includes LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, an even larger multimedia touchscreen than Jolion's 10.25-inch one, a digital instrument cluster, a wireless phone charger and leatherette interior trim. Interestingly, its charging port is on the front left panel, rather than on the front or rear side panel like many of its competitors.

If it arrives in Australia, Cherry Cat will offer a competitive range compared to vehicles such as the Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Niro EV and Tesla Model 3, while offering significantly more range than the MG ZS EV, also made in China.

Cherry Cat is an important step for Great Wall, which is racing other Chinese manufacturers to produce more sustainable cobalt-free batteries. It faces competition from BYD's "Blade" battery, which uses a cobalt-free lithium-iron type, and CATL (SAIC MG battery supplier), which offers an entirely new sodium-ion type that has a lower energy density but can charge faster than typical. lithium structures. Tesla is also turning to CATL for cobalt-free batteries (which are also cheaper) for its Model 3 and Model Y in China, but mostly uses Panasonic lithium-ion batteries.

The small SUV is the first production vehicle to use a new cobalt-free battery chemistry developed by GWM suppliers.

Chinese media reports that Cherry Cat is heading to the shores of Australia. Cars Guide reached out to the local branch of GWM Haval for comment.

We expect to hear more about Cherry Cat pricing after its soon-to-be-launched China, so time will tell if these new battery designs will help keep the cost down for those who want an electric car at a price more comparable to an internal combustion car and with enough power. range for intercity travel within Australia.