After a first failed attempt to conquer the European market, Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motor (GWM) is taking a second chance.
It will start vehicle production in Bulgaria in the first quarter of 2027, plans to launch 10 new models over 2 years, and expand into multiple European markets, including Belgium.
GWM has been active on the European market since 2006, starting sales of its Chinese models in Italy. The company even began production in Europe in 2012, but in 2016 its Bulgarian production partner went bankrupt.
GWM continued selling, and through its Ora and Wey models, it even tried its hand at European expansion. But the plans failed, and the brand even closed its European headquarters, halting further expansion in Europe. In 2025, it sold only about 3,500 cars in Europe.
Second try, including Belgium
But now, GWM is back, with renewed European ambitions. Sky-high ambitions. Coming from 3.500 cars in 2025, it wants to sell about 60.000 in 2027! Moreover, the company has a 2029 sales target of 300.000 vehicles on the old continent. And that obviously means reigniting its plans to expand into other European markets.
At the moment, GWM is active in Italy and Spain. From its previous attempt to break into the European market with the electric Ora and the plug-in hybrid Wey, it already has a distribution structure in Germany, the UK and Sweden, among others.
For 2027, establishing a structure in Belgium is in the works, possibly combined with the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The Chinese manufacturer already operates its European sales organization from the Dutch city of Eindhoven, without actually being active on the Dutch market.
But first, Austria, the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary and Greece will get up and running during the first quarter of the year, followed by France and Switzerland in the second quarter.
Production in Bulgaria
To deliver the necessary cars for its European expansion and avoid heavy tariffs on Chinese imports, GWM is redeploying its production in Bulgaria. While Litex Motors, the Bulgarian company with which GWM partnered in 2012, went bankrupt in 2016, the production plant remains.
GWM is now partnering with the Bulgarian Automotive Industry (BAI), which has taken over the existing factory in Bahovitsa, near Lovech. A production capacity of 50,000 vehicles per year is planned, and production will begin in the first quarter of 2027.
In the past, GWM also looked at Spain and Hungary for its European production, countries that could be next on the list to support the 300,000-unit target in 2029.
The reason GWM can start production so quickly in Bulgaria is not only the result of previous experience at the factory. The fact that vehicles will be built on semi-knockdown vehicles also helps.
With this practice, semi-assembled vehicles from China are sent to the factory in Bulgaria for final assembly there. But GWM also sources some parts locally. What the tariff implications will be remains to be seen.
10 new models
Contrary to the first attempt to conquer the European market with electric and plug-in hybrid models, GWM is now aiming for a full spectrum line-up, including petrol, diesel and hybrid models, on top of (PH)EV’s. Moreover, these models will be developed with the European market in mind and tuned at the brand’s Munich R&D center to meet European customer expectations.
Today, the brand sells several models, including the compact electric Ora 03 (formerly known as the Ora Cat) and the 07 electric fastback, as well as the plug-in hybrid SUVs Wey 03 and 05. Recently, the multi-energy SUV’s Ora 5 and H7 were added to the line-up.
But to support its expansion, 10 new models are planned for introduction over the next two years. They include a rugged-body on-frame 4×4 with a diesel engine and a plug-in hybrid powertrain, the Tank 300, and the P500 pick-up using similar powertrains.
A more family-oriented SUV (Jolian Max), a hybrid seven-seat MPV (Wey G9), and hatchback and estate versions of the Ora 5 are also planned.
