- Great Wall will restart local assembly of the Ora 5 in Bahovitsa, Bulgaria, from Q1 2027 as its first European manufacturing base to blunt import tariffs and regain market share.
- The Bulgarian plant targets 50,000 annual capacity using an SKD assembly model, initially building the all-electric Ora 5; Chinese retail price ranges RMB 99.8K–133.8K (about $15.0K–$20.1K).
- The move targets mass-market European rivals like BYD and Chery, but execution risks include scaling SKD operations, local sourcing timelines, EU trade duties, and historically weak European sales.
Great Wall Motor (GWM) has signed a manufacturing agreement with Bulgaria Automotive Industry to produce the Ora 5 compact SUV in Bulgaria from early 2027, Reuters reported.
The deal would make Bulgaria GWM’s first manufacturing base in Europe and mark a key step in its European expansion. The plant is planned to have an annual capacity of 50K vehicles, with production scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027.
The partner’s manufacturing site is located in Bahovitsa, near the city of Lovech, a location with a history of cooperation with GWM.
In February 2012, GWM established a knock-down (KD) assembly plant there, becoming the first Chinese automaker to set up an assembly facility in an EU member state. Resuming production at the site could provide a foundation for GWM’s return to Europe.
The move toward local production also comes amid EU trade measures targeting Chinese-made vehicles.
The EU currently imposes additional countervailing duties on electric vehicles imported from China. GWM’s EVs face an extra tariff of 20.7%, on top of the standard 10% import duty.
Chinese automakers are accelerating plans to establish production bases in Europe to reduce the impact of trade barriers. Reuters quoted a GWM executive as saying the company aims to produce 300K vehicles annually in Europe by 2029.
The Ora 5 will be offered in Europe with battery-electric, hybrid and internal-combustion powertrains. The Bulgarian plant will initially produce the all-electric version, with other powertrain options and additional models to follow.
GWM Chief Technology Officer Nicole Wu said the project would initially use a semi-knocked-down (SKD) assembly model, while local sourcing for some components would begin from the start of production. Under the SKD model, automakers import partially assembled vehicle kits and complete assembly locally.
In China, the Ora 5 is also available with electric, hybrid and gasoline powertrains. The all-electric version is priced from RMB 99.8K ($15.0K) to RMB 133.8K ($20.1K). It uses a lithium iron phosphate battery supplied by SVOLT, with capacities of 45.3 kWh or 58.3 kWh, and offers a maximum CLTC-rated range of 580 km.
GWM was among the earlier Chinese automakers to enter Europe, but its performance in the region has been weak.
By contrast, BYD, Chery and Leapmotor have expanded their European presence in recent years. GWM sold only about 3.5K vehicles in Europe in 2025, down nearly 30% YoY.
For its renewed push into Europe, GWM plans to launch at least 10 new models and derivatives over the next two years, expanding its lineup beyond EVs to include hybrids and gasoline-powered vehicles.
The company targets European sales of 60K vehicles by 2027 and a 3%–5% share of the European market by 2030.
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