Chinese EV brand GWM Ora has launched a new in-house battery inspection and evaluation initiative in the UK to reduce unnecessary battery wastage.

The brand hopes the new initiative will decrease unnecessary wastage of batteries after very minor accidents

Its newly formed team of technical experts will provide guidance on the safety of the traction battery and its repairability status after a reported customer collision or accident.

The brand will also now refurbish batteries at its UK-based aftersales and logistics centre.

GWM Ora said the new initiative could result in less batteries going to unnecessary waste due to lack of technical information or the perceived inability to repair. Its technical team will provide a full assessment and report on the status of the battery, and if required, make the necessary arrangements to transport the vehicle safely and then refurbish it to manufacturer standards.

In the UK, GWM ORA is supported by distributor partner International Motors, which has a long history of supporting a host of automotive brands across all areas of business, and offers a comprehensive network of operations well set-up to support the new battery initiative.

Toby Marshall, managing director, GWM Ora UK, commented: “Launching a new brand in the UK is no easy task, but for us it has been a little more straightforward as we sit within the International Motors Infrastructure. This means we benefit from the groups parts stocking facilities, vehicle and parts logistics, technical knowhow as well as other essential resources. Using that infrastructure, we’re taking further steps to provide even more support to our key stakeholders, such as this new battery initiative.”

GWM Ora now has two model variants of its Ora 03 electric hatch – previously known as the Funky Cat – on sale in the UK, including the Pure+ and Pro+ variants.

The brand also recently hit a key sales milestone with 1,000 vehicles now on UK roads, achieved in just over one year of operations.