Great Wall Motor (GWM) plans to start building its all-electric Ora 5 compact SUV in Bulgaria in the first quarter of 2027. The project, being developed with Bulgarian Automotive Industry (BAI), would mark GWM’s first vehicle production in Europe. The company says local manufacturing is part of a wider effort to strengthen its regional presence and value creation, with integrated vehicle and component industrial parks a longer-term ambition.
GWM currently sells vehicles in eight European countries, including Germany, Italy and Spain, and is preparing to enter France and other markets. Its Munich research and development centre, opened in 2012, is involved early in vehicle projects. GWM says the Ora 5 and Haval H7 have undergone more than 100,000 kilometres of testing on European roads, alongside thousands of hours of market and customer research.
The announcement accompanied the European premiere of the Haval H7. The 4.8-metre SUV brings GWM’s Hi4 hybrid all-wheel-drive system to Europe for the first time, and the company says it was tuned for conditions including German motorways and mountain roads in Italy and Austria.
GWM also plans to add seven models to its German range within the next two years. In 2027, the Ora 5 family is set to expand with hatchback and estate versions.