China's Great Wall Motor is staging a comeback in Europe. The automaker plans to roll out at least 10 new models over the next two years. Sales will hit 13 countries within 12 months. And a local factory looms on the horizon.
Past efforts faltered. European sales dropped 25.4% in 2024, then nearly 30% in 2025 to about 3,500 vehicles. Competitors like BYD, Chery's Jaecoo and Omoda, plus Leapmotor, posted strong gains last year. GWM can't afford another miss.
The relaunch kicks off in the first half of 2026 with the Ora 5, a compact urban vehicle available as electric, hybrid, or petrol-powered. Jolion Max SUV and H7 follow later that year. Expect sedans, station wagons, pickups too—tailored for markets short on EV charging. Haval SUVs lead the charge, including urban, family, and off-road options.
Italy and Spain get first dibs in June 2026. Poland joins in July. GWM International president Parker Shi laid it out clearly: "the carmaker intends to widen its sales footprint to 13 European countries within the next 12 months." European marketing director Thiemo Jahnke added, "GWM will start selling vehicles in Italy and Spain in June, with Poland to follow in July."
Europe anchors GWM's drive to double overseas sales to one million units by decade's end. A European plant targets 300,000 vehicles annually by 2029. CEO Mu Feng eyes central and southern spots. "Potential locations are being considered in central and southern Europe," he said. Spain and Hungary top the list so far, per earlier reports.
This builds on announcements from late 2025. In October, GWM pledged at least seven new models from mid-2026, including Haval's wider debut and self-operated sales companies in Spain and Italy (PR Newswire). By November, factory talks heated up. Shi told Reuters teams are scouting sites amid labor and logistics hurdles (Reuters).
Hybrids and combustion engines take center stage now. GWM's head of design Andrew Dyson noted sedans, wagons, and pickups to match local tastes where EV infrastructure lags (Reuters). The plant will handle all powertrains, from ICE to full BEVs.
China's auto exports reshape the board. BYD builds factories; Chery surges. GWM sold 316,000 units outside China in 2023, but Europe lagged at 6,300. The 2030 overseas goal demands scale. A local plant dodges tariffs, cuts shipping costs, speeds delivery.
Challenges mount. EU probes Chinese subsidies. Tariffs hit EVs hard. GWM bets on hybrids to skirt some pain—25% duties versus 45% provisional on batteries alone. But quality perceptions linger from early flops like the Ora 03.
Factory sites weigh incentives. Spain offers ports, labor. Hungary hosts BMW, Audi. Romania whispers interest too, with a Timișoara unit already (Informat.ro). Initial assembly might ship parts from China.
Sales mix broadens. Beyond Ora and Haval, WEY hybrids, POER pickups join. At least nine models eyed by 2027 in some counts. Mainstream pricing targets volume.
GWM's global footprint grows. Thailand EVs roll off lines. Brazil gets billions in investment. Europe tests the high-stakes bet.
Success here lifts all boats. Failure? Costly. Shi sees room for Chinese brands across tech stacks. "There is continued scope for Chinese manufacturers in Europe across different technologies," he said recently.
Rivals watch closely. Stellantis, VW face price wars. GWM's push forces adaptation. Boom or bust. Europe decides.
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