Much has been said about the longevity of batteries in battery electric vehicles (BEVs), understandably causing concern among potential buyers about future replacement costs. However, the GWM Ora 07 offers reassurance in this regard.

To begin with, the Ora 07 is covered by a 6-year/150,000 km warranty for the vehicle, extending to 8-year/180,000 km solely for the battery and motor, whichever comes first. There’s also a one-to-one battery replacement is available should the battery's health dip below 70 percent during the warranty period.

Another common worry among BEV buyers is range anxiety - will I run out of charge before I reach home?

Equipped with an 83.5-kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery, the Ora 07 can travel up to 640 km on a single charge, based on the NEDC cycle.

This battery, sourced from China's Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Limited (CATL), is currently the world's largest BEV battery manufacturer, supplying major brands like Tesla, Volkswagen, and BMW. Think of it as a battery that's made by the Energizer of the electric car world.

LFP vs NMC battery, is one really better than the other?

In the realm of BEV batteries, there are two prevalent types - NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) and (LFP) (lithium iron phosphate), each with its own benefits and drawbacks. It's a bit like factory-farmed chicken (which in this case is NMC battery) vs free range chicken (LFP battery), the latter is a bit skinnier and more expensive.

LFP batteries are less energy dense, resulting in greater weight for the same amount of energy provided. However, they exhibit less degradation when charged to high levels and can frequently be charged to 100 percent without premature wear.

On the other hand, nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries offer superior energy density, allowing for extended range for a given weight. This is why Porsche continues to utilise NMC batteries in its 2024 Taycan, prioritising space and weight efficiency.

By employing NMC batteries, the Ora 07 manages to maintain a manageable weight without compromising on range and cost, effectively easing buyers' concerns about battery performance.

Understanding BEV terminologies

The Ora 07 is offered in two variants - Long Range and Performance. The former, powered by a single front motor, delivers 204 PS (150 kW) and 340 Nm of torque, reaching 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds.

The Performance variant, benefiting from dual motors - meaning that it's all-wheel drive, so you get maximum grip on all four tyres - achieves a total output of 408 PS (300 kW) and 680 Nm. This allows for a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 4.3 seconds.

If you haven’t had prior exposure to BEVs, it’s important to understand technical terms like kW and kWh. kW (kilowatt) signifies power. You will see this in the car's performance (equivalent to horsepower), or how fast the car can be recharged (how much power can go into the battery, and how fast it charges).

Meanwhile, kWh (kilowatt-hour) denotes energy capacity (think of this as fuel tank size in regular petrol cars and how many litres it has)

Using the Ora 07 as example, its electric motor in the Long Range puts out 150 kW (equivalent to 203 PS or metric horsepower in a regular car) and the battery is rated at 83.5 kWh (equivalent to litres of petrol in a regular car).

AC charging vs DC charging

If you look at the Ora 07’s brochure, you’d also notice that charging is split in to AC and DC, which in this case is 11 kW AC charging and 88 kW DC charging for the Ora 07. What is AC? What is DC?

To simplify, AC is short for alternating current, basically the kind of electricity that goes into your house. DC is short for direct current, generally, we don’t use this, but if you want to ‘pump’ in a lot of power into your electric car in the shortest amont of time – you use DC.

This is why home electric vehicle (EV) chargers (the technical term is electric vehicle supply equipment, or EVSE) are expressed in AC, and they usually range from 3.7 kW to 22 kW.

The higher the figure, the faster your car charges, subject to compatibility with your car.
The Ora 07 supports up to 11 kW of AC charging. But this is where things get a little bit more complicated so pay attention.

AC electricity is a bit like waves on a beach. The closer the waves are, the more consistent the water (electricity) hits the shore (your electric car). Most homes are equipped with a single phase (wave). To get the highest performance, three-phase power supply upgrade is recommended. To enjoy the maximum 11 kW AC charging in the Ora 07, a three-phase power supply is required.

Direct current (DC) charging, also known as fast or rapid charging, uses a huge (and very expensive, close to RM 80k) charger. 

Unlike AC charging, DC charging delivers high-power DC electricity directly to the vehicle's battery. DC chargers are typically only used on highways. Such services are also a lot more expensive than regular AC chargers that you see in shopping malls.

Conclusion

And there we have it, the three essentials you need to know about BEVs. The GWM Ora 07 addresses concerns surrounding BEVs by providing extensive warranty coverage, efficient battery technology, and versatile charging capabilities. With its impressive range and charging options, Ora 07 offers the all-important peace of mind.

Also read: From RM 169k, GWM Ora O7 launched in Malaysia, up to 408 PS/680 Nm, 640 km range