GWM Ora 03 axed: lack of customer curiosity killed the Funky Cat
Retro-styled electric supermini was on sale in the UK for four years, but has now been canned
Cats might be known for having nine lives, but the GWM Ora 03, once known as the Funky Cat, has failed to avoid the axe in the UK.
The small electric hatchback has been available here for four years but has now been discontinued, with Ora’s Chinese parent firm, GWM set to focus on other models and brands.
The Ora 03 arrived in the UK in 2022 badged the Ora Funky Cat as a cutesy competitor to the slightly larger MG4 and Volkswagen ID.3, as well as the marginally more compact Vauxhall Corsa Electric and Renault Zoe.
After sluggish sales in its first couple of years, it was renamed the GWM Ora 03 to tie it in with the larger GWM Ora 07 saloon which, while originally destined to come to the UK, never actually made it on to the market here.
However, after selling just 542 examples of the 03 in 2025, and only 26 in the first quarter of 2026, GWM’s UK importer, International Motors, has finally decided to put the EV to rest – in Britain, at least.
It’s not yet clear what will happen to the 40-plus Ora dealers across the UK now that the 03 has been cancelled, but this is certainly not the last we’ll see of GWM. The Chinese firm also pulls the strings on several other brands in the UK, including Haval, which sells the Jolion Pro hybrid SUV. There’s also the GWM Poer300 which arrived last year as a rival to the KGM Musso pick-up.
Nevertheless, the 03’s failure constitutes one of the more notable flops in China’s takeover of the UK car market. At the other end of the scale, conglomerate Chery, for example, has seen unprecedented success with its Jaecoo brand, with the Jaecoo 7 the top-selling car in March and the second-best selling car of the year so far.
Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express? We’ll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too.
