JChinese car manufacturers have been announced for years, half-hearted attempts have been made and failed again and again, now things are apparently getting serious. The trend towards electric cars with their relatively simple construction, which is noticeable in Europe, lowers the market entry barriers, and Chinese manufacturers can also offer some experience with this technology. Consumers will have to get used to new names.
After Nio and BYD, Great Wall is now announcing its entry into the European market. The experiment in Germany under the Ora and Wey brands is to begin in the fourth quarter of this year. Since no own sales department is available, the Chinese have joined forces with the Emil Frey Group. The well-known Swiss trading group has almost 100 locations in this country where passenger cars of different brands are sold. It is also the official importer of Mitsubishi and Subaru in Germany.
Great Wall wants to start with the Ora Funky Cat, a 4.24 meter long electric compact car with, shall we say, an idiosyncratic design. Behind the cuddly eyes is battery technology for a standardized range of around 300 kilometers. The compact SUV Coffee 01, which is to be introduced under the Wey brand, which is intended for high demands, is almost conservative in comparison. It is powered by a plug-in hybrid that can be charged at the socket and has an impressive standard range of around 150 kilometers. In view of the changing subsidy conditions, it remains to be seen whether this will remain the case. Demand is currently suffering from the announcement that subsidies will be cut. Exact technical data, prices and sales channels are not yet known, Great Wall has planned the Paris Salon in October. Earlier statements suggest a starting price of 30,000 euros for the Ora Funky Cat, and the Wey Coffee 01 should start at around 50,000 euros.
New Chinese brand
:
wall and flowers
MG has already blossomed gently from China in this country, which has only this in common with the traditional British name (Technology and Motor from August 2nd). Great Wall Motor has existed since 1984. According to the information, around 1.3 million new cars were sold last year, mainly under the Haval brand.