Great Wall Motors showcased all-electric R1 at Auto Expo

Chinese automobile manufacturer Great Wall Motors (GWM) has brought one of the biggest lineup of cars at the 2020 Auto Expo and the all-electric R1 is expected to hog all the attention. The R1 is branded as Ora in China and is touted to be the cheapest electric vehicle (EV) in the world. The R1 is a pint-sized hatchback with a number of technological features. With the Indian government aggressively pushing for EVs, the R1 is expected to find enough patrons. 

The R1 subcompact hatchback is even smaller than the Maruti Suzuki Celerio. The R1 has a 28.5kWh/33kWh battery pack which powers the electric motor. The car outputs 48 PS maximum power and 125 Nm peak torque. The R1, given its dimensions, is largely meant for city traffic. GWM claims that the R1 can reach a top speed of 164 kmph. The car comes with fast battery recharging capabilities. The battery can be charged up to 80 percent in about 40 minutes.

Despite the size, the GWM R1 is a rather feature-rich vehicle. It comes with a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports voice commands. Other features include antilock braking system (ABS), two airbags, reverse parking camera and sensors, hill start assist, and a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS). The R1 has connected car features and autonomous emergency braking.

The Baoding-headquartered company, meanwhile, is expected to commence its India operations with the Haval H6 compact sports utility vehicle (SUV). The car made its global debut at the 2011 Auto Shanghai motor show and is the successor of the GWM Pegasus. The Haval H6 is one of the bestselling SUVs in China. It will compete with the Morris Garages (MG) Hector, Tata Harrier, and the Mahindra XUV500 in the Indian market.

GWM has acquired Chevrolet’s Talegaon assembling plant to set up its first manufacturing unit in India.

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