GWM’s electric car with “menstrual period mode” returns to sales after failure in China

The electric car that promised to ease the discomfort of women’s menstrual periods will get a second chance. GWM is preparing an update for the Ora Ballet Cat — a hatch that drew attention for its design inspired by the classic Beetle and for a list of features aimed at the female audience. After scoring weak sales in China, the model reappeared with more power and may even change its name.

Documents sent to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, revealed by the Car News China website, show that the electric hatch will gain a stronger mechanical assembly and may adopt a new designation.

Launched in 2022, the Ora Ballet Cat was presented as a vehicle developed especially for women. In addition to a selfie camera, it brought allegedly feminine features such as a driving mode that automatically increased the distance to the car in front and, according to the brand, a function that activated the seat heating and air conditioning to reduce discomfort during the menstrual period — marketing arguments that earned the model both curiosity and controversy for alleged sexism.

The strategy, however, did not succeed. Between July 2022 and June 2026, the hatch accumulated only 8,523 units sold in the Chinese market. Still, GWM does not seem willing to abandon the project.

What has changed now?

Visually, the changes are discreet. The model maintains the headlights integrated into the wheel arches, the chrome details and the recharging port positioned on the front fenders, in addition to the 18-inch wheels. With 4.40 m in length, it remains in the compact category.

The main novelty is in the electric set. The engine goes from 171 hp to 204 hp, while the top speed rises from 155 km/h to 180 km/h. The battery will continue to be lithium iron phosphate (LFP), supplied by Svolt, a GWM group company, but the manufacturer has not yet disclosed capacity or autonomy.

Another possible change is the adoption of the name Ora 6. GWM has been replacing cat-inspired denominations with a numerical nomenclature — a movement that has already yielded the Ora 5, on sale in Europe and recently arrived in Brazil, and should continue with the Ora 7. The homologation documents bear both designations, although the exchange has not yet been officially confirmed.

So far, the brand has also not reported prices for the renewed version or confirmed the sale of the model outside China. At its premiere in 2022, Ballet Cat started at 193 thousand yuan (about R$ 141 thousand at the current exchange rate) in the Chinese market.