GWM Posts Record Month as Ora 5 Tops EV Registrations

Summary

GWM New Zealand registered 667 new vehicles in October, a record for the brand in a single month and ahead of its previous high set in June. The result gave the brand a 4.4 percent share of new-vehicle registrations for the month, ranking seventh. Year to date, GWM sits sixth with 4,673 registrations and a 3.7 percent share.

By model, the Haval H6 led the brand with 299 units, ninth among all models, while the Haval Jolion contributed 113. GWM said the Ora 5 recorded 123 registrations to become the country's top-selling EV, accounting for 7.1 percent of EV registrations. Country manager Cameron Thomas said the result reflected growing demand from New Zealand consumers and described October as a significant milestone for GWM in New Zealand, with its strongest sales month showing more New Zealanders are choosing GWM and the strength of its line-up, and the Ora 5 SUV taking the top EV spot for October as particularly encouraging.

GWM is adding the Haval H7, the Cannon Hi4-T plug-in hybrid ute and new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel models to its range. GWM Australia and New Zealand chief operating officer John Kett said the brand's goal is to enter the top five and that a wave of new products and technology will arrive in New Zealand over the next 12 months, making a top-five position no longer a distant ambition but an opportunity firmly within reach.

Commentary

GWM set a brand monthly record in October with 667 registrations, a 4.4 percent share and seventh place, while the Ora 5 became New Zealand's top-selling EV with 123 units, or 7.1 percent of EV registrations. The result underscores the rapid penetration of Chinese brands in New Zealand's new-vehicle market. Annual new-vehicle sales total about 150,000 units, long dominated by traditional brands such as Toyota and Ford, but GWM is moving from the margins to the mainstream on the back of SUVs such as the Haval H6 and EVs such as the Ora 5.

For NZ small and medium business owners, GWM's expansion means rising demand for after-sales service, parts and charging infrastructure, and local repairers and parts suppliers could look at opportunities to work with GWM's dealer network. At the same time, the Ora 5 topping the EV table shows the NZ electric vehicle market shifting from Tesla dominance to more diversified competition, and SMEs involved in fleet management or logistics could assess adding GWM electric models to lower operating costs. However, the price advantage of Chinese brands may squeeze margins for local used-car dealers, while supply-chain dependence on China brings exchange-rate and logistics risks.

GWM plans to launch new models including the H7 and the Cannon Hi4-T plug-in hybrid ute over the next 12 months and is targeting the top five, which will intensify competition in the mid-market, and NZ SMEs should watch the potential impact on used-car residuals and insurance costs.

Keywords: GWM, Ora 5, EV registrations, Haval H6, new-vehicle market share, Cameron Thomas, John Kett, Haval H7, Cannon Hi4-T

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Source: Autotalk