GWM's Ora 7 Wagon Spotted in Filings — Could It Come to WA?

GWM's Ora sub-brand has been quietly building momentum in Australia, and its next move could be a sporty electric station wagon. Regulatory filings lodged with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology have revealed a production-ready version of the Ora 7 — a pure electric wagon that first appeared as the Lightning Cat Travel Edition concept at the 2025 Shanghai Motor Show.

If it makes it to Australian shores, it would be one of the more genuinely practical electric vehicles on the market — and a direct rival to the incoming BYD Seal 6 wagon.

What We Know About the Ora 7

The production Ora 7 sits above the incoming Ora 5 small SUV in GWM's lineup and adopts the brand's new numerical naming system. Dimensionally, it's a proper mid-size proposition — 4820mm long, 1850mm wide, and 1520mm tall — putting it in the same territory as a Skoda Octavia wagon or a Kia Sportage in terms of footprint.

Power comes from dual electric motors producing 160kW and 150kW respectively. The old Lightning Cat concept was flagged for a combined 300kW and 680Nm, though the production Ora 7's final combined output hasn't been confirmed.

One change worth flagging: the battery chemistry appears to have shifted from NMC (higher output, higher cost) to LFP (lithium iron phosphate), according to Chinese media reports. LFP batteries are generally more affordable to produce and have a longer cycle life, though they can take a slight range hit in cold conditions — less of a concern here in WA where the climate is largely on your side.

Visually, the production car stays remarkably close to the Shanghai concept — gloss black wheel package included. The one notable change is the door handles: flush units have been swapped for traditional pull handles following new Chinese safety regulations banning recessed handles. The interior hasn't been officially revealed yet, but expect it to mirror the Ora 5's updated cabin, including a two-spoke steering wheel, stalk-mounted gear shifter, minimalist centre console, and larger screens running updated software.

How It Stacks Up Against the BYD Seal 6

The obvious comparison is with the BYD Seal 6, which is also heading to Australia in both sedan and wagon form as a plug-in hybrid. The Ora 7 counters as a pure electric — no combustion engine at all — which for Perth metro buyers who do most of their driving between home, work, and the occasional run down the freeway, makes a lot of sense. You're not paying for fuel you don't need.

For WA buyers who do longer regional runs — say, Perth to Albany or across to Kalgoorlie — the charging network question remains the real sticking point for any EV, and the Ora 7 would need to prove out its real-world range before it earns a tick for country driving.

Will It Come to WA?

That's the question. GWM Australia hasn't confirmed anything yet, and the Ora brand's Australian rollout has been measured so far. The Ora 5 is the immediate priority. Whether the 7 follows depends on how well GWM's EV lineup performs here and whether there's enough appetite for a wagon body style at that price point.

Given WA's combination of long distances, high fuel prices, and a growing EV charging network between Perth and regional centres, a capable electric wagon from a brand with an established dealer presence here isn't a hard sell on paper. Watch this space.