GWM R1 and iQ

Along with Haval, GWM EV will be the second brand launched by GWM in India, this focussed on electrics

GWM ALSO SHOWCASED ITS ELECTRIC car capability at the Auto Expo with the R1 and iQ EVs which it brought under its ORA (Open, Reliable, Alternative) EV sub-brand. The R1 is built on the ME platform, the first exclusive platform for electric vehicles in China. Visually, it follows the urban neoretro look, akin to the Honda-e while the iQ is positioned as a new generation pure electric compact sedan.

Under the hood, the R1 has a 33kWh battery making 46bhp and 125Nm, and is capable of a top speed of 100kmph, limited in the interests of range, which is its trump card, as GWM claims the R1 can do 351km on a single charge. On the inside, the R1 gets a 9-inch touchscreen with a user interactive interface, six airbags, ABS, reverse camera with parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring, and hill start assist.

The iQ sedan on the other hand is equipped with a ternary lithium-ion battery and an electric motor, with an output of 59bhp and a 150kmph top speed. GWM says the iQ’s range is about 401km per charge. Keyless entry, leatherwrapped steering wheel with infotainment controls, cruise control, reverse parking camera, and plenty of utilities like generous door pockets and storage spaces were seen on the iQ on display.

“First we will introduce the Haval brand, establish that, then maybe after nine to twelve months we will bring the GWM EV brand,” said Kaushik Ganguly, director of strategy and planning at Great Wall Motors. So, even though GWM isn’t rushing with their EV plans, they have committed to launch electric cars in India along with investing in the entire eco-system including battery technology.

THE IQ HAS A TOP SPEED OF 150KMPH AND RANGE OF 401KM ON A SINGLE CHARGE