On Oct. 28, Great Wall Motors announced it will partner with Bulgarian automotive firm BAI to build a production base in Lovech. Line upgrades are to be completed by the end of 2026, with the first vehicle, the compact SUV ORA 5, expected off the line in the first quarter of 2027.
The base is planned with 50,000 units of annual capacity and will link sales networks in Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, serving as a pivot for further European supply-chain localization.
Great Wall plans to launch at least 10 new models and derivatives in Europe over the next two years, after opening a Munich R&D center in 2021.
The move is among the clearest timelines given by a Chinese carmaker for local production in Europe, as the region's EV market shifts structurally.
Image: Concept vehicle at an auto show. Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).
