Milan, 27 October 2026 – GWM (Great Wall Motor) chose Milan for the European launch of the GWM H7 and to set out how it intends to grow on the continent: products developed in Europe, local production and at least ten new and derivative models over the next two years. The main announcement concerns manufacturing: together with Bulgarian Automotive Industry (BAI), GWM will build its first European-made model, the ORA 5, in Bulgaria, with a planned capacity of 50,000 units a year and production starting in the first quarter of 2027.

From export to local production. For GWM, which shipped its first vehicles to Europe in 2006, this means building close to demand rather than importing. Looking ahead, the group plans integrated industrial parks in Europe for vehicles and components, expanding step by step with the line-up. Commercially, it operates subsidiaries in Italy, Spain and the Netherlands and is preparing to enter France and further markets.

Products defined in Europe. The Munich R&D Centre, opened in 2021, works on local demand research, regulatory compliance and validation, and contributes to decisions from the start of every project. For the ORA 5 and H7, European teams completed more than 100,000 km of road testing and thousands of hours of customer research, with targeted work on chassis, steering, powertrain and seats. Behind them are more than 28,000 R&D staff and, according to the company, annual R&D investment of over €1.3 billion.

"Localisation is not about making products fit the market; it is about building market needs into the DNA of our products. We don't just want to sell cars to Europe: we want to become part of Europe." Nicole Wu, Chief Technology Officer of GWM.

"A vehicle that performs well in China does not automatically meet every expectation in Europe. Developing for Europe means understanding how people actually drive here, from German motorways to Italian mountain roads.”Thomas Schemera, EU Product General Manager of GWM.

From product definition at its European R&D Center in Munich, to manufacturing implementation at its production base in Bulgaria, and further to the planning of an integrated local industrial park covering complete vehicles and components, GWM's localization system in Europe is taking shape. Looking ahead, GWM will continue to uphold long-termism, take no shortcuts, and focus on quality. With a more complete business ecosystem, more advanced product technologies, and deeper localized operations, it will work with global partners to create greater value for users in Europe and around the world.