GWM Returns to Bulgaria: Ora 5 Assembly in Europe From 2027
Great Wall Motor (GWM) will build cars in Europe. The Chinese carmaker plans to assemble the electric Ora 5 compact SUV at Bahovitsa in northern Bulgaria, with series assembly starting in the first quarter, electrive reported on 28 October, citing Reuters. In the longer term GWM wants to build about 300,000 cars a year in European plants by 2029.
Key takeaways
- Plant: Bahovitsa, Lovech Province, Bulgaria, capacity 50,000 cars a year.
- First model: the Ora 5 electric SUV, which is already sold in Europe as an import.
- Start: assembly of kits (SKD) at first, with some parts sourced locally from the beginning.
- Goal: about 300,000 cars a year built in Europe by 2029.
Back to a familiar site
This is not GWM's first factory in Bulgaria. In 2012 the company opened a kit assembly plant at the same site with its local partner Litex Motors, making GWM the first Chinese carmaker to produce in Europe. Production stopped in 2016 after Litex went bankrupt, and the buildings passed to the Bulgarian company Bulgarian Automotive Industry (BAI).
This time BAI keeps ownership of the renovated plant and works as an independent contract manufacturer; GWM takes over operations from 2027. GWM had also looked at Spain and Hungary. Bahovitsa alone cannot reach 300,000 cars, so further European sites or expansions will be needed.
"We'll start with SKD assembly, but supply of some parts will be localised from the very beginning," GWM chief technology officer Nicole Wu said at the company's Tech Day 2026 in Milan. Anton Dontschew of BAI called the plant only the beginning of a broader cooperation.
Why build in Europe
The main reason is the EU's extra import duties on electric cars made in China. Cars assembled inside the EU avoid them, which gives GWM more room on price against European rivals. Other Chinese brands are taking a similar route: the Leapmotor B10, for example, is now built by Stellantis in Zaragoza, Spain.
What it means for buyers
The Ora 5 is a compact electric SUV that GWM sells in several European markets. Local assembly is unlikely to change its specification, but it could make prices more competitive once the tariff no longer applies. GWM has not announced European prices for Bulgarian-built cars yet.
More on the brand: Ora models, including the Ora 03 (Good Cat / Funky Cat), and Great Wall in the catalogue.
Sources
- electrive: GWM aims for European production in Bulgaria (28 Oct 2026) (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
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