You’ve probably seen a Haval on the road and thought, "Wait, who actually makes that?" It’s a fair question. For a long time, the great wall car company (officially known as Great Wall Motor or GWM) was just that Chinese brand making cheap, slightly clunky pickups. But things have changed.
Honestly, the transformation is a bit wild. They’ve gone from a small-scale manufacturer in Hebei to a global behemoth that sold over 1.32 million vehicles in 2025.
The Identity Crisis: It’s Not Just One Brand
Most people think GWM is just one line of cars. It isn't. It’s actually a massive umbrella for five distinct sub-brands, each with a very specific personality.
- Haval: This is their bread and butter. It’s the SUV specialist. In 2025 alone, Haval moved 758,554 units. If you see a GWM on the street, it’s probably a Haval H6 or a Jolion.
- Tank: This brand is for the weekend warriors. Think rugged, boxy 4x4s. The Tank 300 has become a cult favorite in places like Australia and South Africa because it actually handles off-road stuff without breaking the bank.
- Ora: This is the quirky, all-electric wing. You might know the Ora 03 (formerly the Good Cat). It looks like a Porsche and a VW Beetle had a baby.
- Wey: This is their "premium" play. It’s supposed to be luxury, though it’s still finding its footing in some markets.
- GWM Pickup: The "Poer" or "Cannon" series. These are the trucks that started it all.
The 2026 Strategy: Why They Aren't Slowing Down
A lot of folks expected Chinese car brands to hit a ceiling once the "cheap car" novelty wore off. That hasn't happened. Instead, the great wall car company is doubling down on what they call "long-termism." Basically, they're stopped chasing quick wins and started building factories everywhere.
Right now, they are prepping for a massive European offensive. By mid-2026, GWM plans to launch at least seven new models in Europe. We're talking about a mix of everything: internal combustion, hybrids, and full-blown EVs. They aren't just shipping cars from China anymore; they’ve been looking at setting up a European plant with a 300,000-car annual capacity.
"True cooperation must be built on transparency, understanding, and trust," says Parker Shi, President of GWM International.
It sounds like corporate speak, sure. But when you look at their 2025 numbers—where overseas sales hit a record 506,066 units—it’s clear the strategy is working. They are now the 7th most-bought brand in Australia, even nipping at the heels of legacy giants like Ford and Mitsubishi.
The Tech You Didn't Know They Owned
Here is a fun fact: GWM doesn't just build cars. They build the guts of the cars too. Their spin-off company, SVOLT, is a legit player in the battery world.
In early 2026, SVOLT announced their 3.5-generation charging tech. It’s supposed to cut charging times by 25% without making the battery more expensive. They are also moving into semi-solid-state batteries, with mass production slated for late 2026. This is the kind of R&D that keeps them from being just another "copycat" manufacturer.
They also have the Hi4-T system. It’s a hybrid platform designed for off-roading. Most hybrids are built for fuel economy in the city. The great wall car company built this one so you can crawl over rocks using electric torque without worrying about running out of juice in the middle of nowhere.
Real Talk: The Challenges
It’s not all sunshine and record sales.
The Ora brand, for instance, had a bit of a rough 2025. While their SUV sales were soaring, Ora's annual sales actually fell by about 23%. People love the SUVs, but the "cute" electric hatchbacks are a tougher sell when everyone else is releasing sleek, tech-heavy EVs.
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There's also the "pricing game." In South Africa, GWM is currently sitting at 6th place in the market. Their local boss, Conrad Groenewald, has been pretty vocal about the fact that hitting the Top 5 in 2026 depends entirely on getting the pricing right. With global inflation and shifting trade tariffs, that's a moving target.
What to Watch for in 2026
If you're looking at buying one or just watching the stock, here is what is actually happening on the ground:
- The Tank 300 PHEV: This is a big deal for 2026. A plug-in hybrid that can actually do real off-roading. It’s launching in Q1 in several major markets.
- The Wey Brand Expansion: Watch for the Wey G9 (a fancy minivan) and the Blue Mountain SUV. They are trying to prove they can do "luxury" as well as the Germans.
- Local Production: Keep an eye on Thailand and Brazil. GWM is shifting from being an exporter to a local manufacturer in these hubs to dodge shipping costs and tariffs.
Actionable Insights for the Savvy Observer
If you're tracking the great wall car company, don't just look at the total sales volume. Look at the "NEV" (New Energy Vehicle) mix. In 2025, about 30% of their sales were electrified. If that number climbs toward 40% in 2026, they are winning the transition.
Also, check the resale values. Historically, Chinese cars took a massive hit the second you drove them off the lot. However, the newer Haval and Tank models are holding their value significantly better than the old Great Wall Steeds of the 2010s.
Compare the warranty. In many regions, GWM is offering 7-year or even "lifetime" powertrain warranties to win over skeptics. If you're a buyer, that’s your biggest leverage. If you're an investor, that's a huge liability on the balance sheet to keep an eye on.
The company is no longer the underdog. It’s the brand that the "Big Three" are actually starting to worry about in the global south and Australasia.
To stay ahead of their moves, monitor the rollout of their "Hi4" all-wheel-drive systems across the Haval H6 and H7 lines this year. That tech is the real litmus test for whether they can compete with Toyota's hybrid dominance.
Check your local dealership's service capacity too. Sales are growing faster than service centers in some spots, which is the "growing pain" that usually trips up fast-moving brands. If they fix the parts-availability lag in 2026, they’ll be hard to stop.