The Ora Funky Cat has been renamed as the Ora 03 as part of a rebranding plan by its owner Great Wall Motors (GWM). The Chinese firm, which has struggled to establish a foothold so far, is aiming to attract more European buyers to its range of electric cars with a simpler, less quirky naming strategy. 

From January, the Ora Funky Cat name will be replaced by the GWM Ora 03 title, with other models set to follow a similar pattern. GWM says the new approach reflects evolution from “a ‘house of brands’ to a ‘branded house’ architecture”, whatever that means. It also brings the European and UK markets in line with its approach in South Africa, Australia, Singapore and the Philippines, where a numerical naming system is already in place. 

Under the new plan, the Ora Funky Cat supermini will become the Ora 03 and subsequent model names will reflect the vehicles’ size and position in the GWM line-up. That means that the Next Cat (also known as the Lightning Cat) premium saloon will now be called the Ora 07 when it arrives in 2024. 

There will be no physical changes to the Funky Cat/Ora 03 but the name change comes shortly after the launch of a second, longer-range version of the car. The limited-run First Edition+ uses a 63kWh battery in place of the regular First Edition’s 48kWh, boosting official range from 193 miles to 260 miles and addressing one of the major criticisms of the car, which is competing with the likes of the Renault Zoe, BYD Dolphin and Vauxhall Corsa Electric. It also brings more standard equipment, including massage seats and a panoramic sunroof.

GWM is expected to expand the Ora 03 model range next year with a cheaper entry level variant that could compete with basic BYD Dolphins and the Citroen e-C3, as well as a sportier GT version. 

Ora's smallest offering will meow be called the 03 following a rebrand