Electric vehicles are in a race of superlatives. Which model is the smallest? The fastest? The safest? Gets the longest mileage? Great Wall Motors out of China recently debuted the Ora R1, and it easily takes the crown for the cheapest electric vehicle to hit the market so far.
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Ranging from $8,680 to $11,293, the compact car is a fraction of the cost of high-end electric vehicles like Tesla. Granted, the Ora isn’t autonomous. And don’t expect luxurious finishing. But the Ora isn’t meant for cushy road trips anyhow.
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The car, which is currently only for sale in China, is designed for city-dwellers who need a cheap and reliable ride. Ora has a gently curved steel frame and big-eyed headlights that make it look straight out of a Pixar film. Inside, it has a engine and 35-kWh battery that helps the car travel up to 194 miles on a charge.
The Ora runs on its own operating system, which is controlled by a touchscreen. To wake the car, you say “Hello, Ora,” and it revs up to take you wherever you need to go—so long as it’s under 200 miles away.
Via: Designboom