On October 29, Great Wall Motor (GWM) revealed the answer to its European localization question: its first European production base will be built in Lovech, Bulgaria, with planned annual capacity of 50,000 units and the first ORA 5 expected off the line in the first quarter of 2027, CnEVPost reported. GWM will partner with local Bulgarian auto firm BAI, with line retrofitting targeted for completion by the end of 2026.
The plant will start with SKD (semi-knocked-down) assembly but localize some components from the outset, feeding GWM's sales networks in Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. GWM also plans to launch at least 10 new or derivative models in Europe over the next two years. The move mirrors a broader trend of Chinese automakers using existing factories and partner capacity to plant roots on the continent.
In related overseas developments the same day, SAIC reported January-September overseas sales of 1.166 million units, up 52.4% and already surpassing its full-year 2025 overseas total, with MG selling over 280,000 units in Europe in the first three quarters; XPeng signed dealers in Nigeria, Oman, Kuwait and Albania; and GAC Aion appointed a Northern Ireland retail partner to open showrooms in 2027.
As the report put it, Chinese automakers' globalization is moving "from scaling sales to taking root locally" — a structural shift from exporting cars to building them abroad.
Source: CnEVPost
