Great Wall Motor to Build Ora 5 SUV in Bulgaria, Establishing First European Plant

Great Wall Motor will manufacture its Ora 5 compact SUV in Bulgaria starting in the first quarter of next year under an agreement with a local partner, establishing its first European manufacturing base. The plant will have a planned annual capacity of 50,000 vehicles; financial terms were not disclosed. The move supports GWM's European comeback as Chinese automakers race to build local production to offset trade barriers. The EU imposes a 20.7% anti-subsidy duty on GWM's China-built EVs on top of the bloc's standard 10% import tariff. GWM targets 300,000 vehicles produced in Europe by 2029 and a 3% to 5% market share by 2030, with at least ten new and derivative models planned over the next two years. The automaker, an early Chinese entrant to Europe, saw its regional sales fall nearly 30% in 2025 to just 3,500 cars, while rivals BYD, Chery and Leapmotor posted rapid growth. GWM did not specify which powertrain version will be built in Bulgaria.