Great Wall Motor has officially selected Bahovitsa, Bulgaria, as the site for its first European manufacturing plant. The facility, located in the Lovech Province, was previously used for assembly operations between 2012 and 2016. The site is currently owned by the Bulgarian Automotive Industry, which will serve as an independent contract manufacturer for the Chinese automaker starting in 2027.
The plant is expected to reach an annual production capacity of 50 000 vehicles. The company plans to begin series assembly of the Ora 5 electric compact SUV in the first quarter of 2027. While initial operations will focus on semi-knocked-down assembly, GWM intends to localize the supply of certain components from the start of production.
This move is part of a broader strategy to avoid European Union tariffs on imported Chinese electric vehicles. GWM aims to achieve a total production volume of 300 000 vehicles per year across its European facilities by 2029. To meet this target, the company will likely need to expand existing capacities or establish additional manufacturing sites in the region.
