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Chinese automotive giant Great Wall Motor (GWM) has unveiled an ambitious strategy to launch at least 10 new models in Europe over the next two years, signalling a determined second attempt to establish itself in the highly competitive market.

GWM was among the first Chinese car companies to enter Europe, making a notable debut with a range of electric vehicles at the 2021 Munich car show.

However, the company subsequently struggled to gain significant traction.

As part of its renewed European push, GWM plans to commence sales in 13 European markets within the next 12 months.

“We don’t want to be the loser in any market in the world,” GWM International President Parker Shi told reporters at the company’s technology centre in Baoding, China. “We’ll come back and we will go with the right product.”

While more recent Chinese entrants such as BYD, Chery’s Jaecoo and Omoda brands, and Leapmotor experienced rapid European growth in 2025, GWM’s sales plummeted by 25.4 per cent in 2024 and nearly 30 per cent in 2025, reaching just 3,500 vehicles.

This renewed overseas expansion comes as domestic vehicle sales in China have stalled, prompting local automakers to seek growth abroad.

To ensure success this time, GWM will introduce a broader mix of vehicles and powertrains, including hybrids and combustion-engine models alongside electric vehicles. The rollout will begin with the Ora 5, a small urban car available as an EV, a petrol burner, and a hybrid, in the first half of 2026.

Later this year, the company plans to launch the Jolion Max SUV and the H7, an off-road model.

At present, GWM sells in nine European markets including Britain and Germany. European marketing director Thiemo Jahnke said the automaker will begin sales in Italy and Spain in June, followed by Poland in July – plus 10 additional markets over the next 12 months.

Europe is crucial to GWM’s ambitious target to double overseas sales to 1 million vehicles by the end of the decade.

The company has said it aims to build a factory in Europe with an annual production capacity of 300,000 cars by 2029. GWM CEO Mu Feng said the automaker has yet to decide on a location, but it is looking at central and southern Europe.

Automotive analyst Felipe Munoz said GWM’s focus on different powertrains means the company has a stronger slate of offerings than it did during its first foray into Europe. But he said that some of the vehicles the company is talking about launching in Europe, including the large off-road Tank 300 SUV, will not be suitable for many car buyers there.

Industry experts have said that with a large number of Chinese rivals expanding into Europe, GWM will find it tougher to make headway on the continent.

“There are already too many Chinese carmakers in Europe,” Munoz said. “They will find it hard to differentiate themselves.”