Who Owns GWM?

Great Wall Motors was founded in 1984 by Wei Jianjun in Baoding, Hebei Province, China, initially as a small vehicle modification workshop. The company began by modifying and assembling pickup trucks, and in 1996 produced its first proprietary vehicle, the Deer pickup truck, which became one of the best-selling pickups in China. Great Wall Motors quickly established itself as China's leading pickup truck manufacturer, a position it has maintained for over two decades.

In the early 2000s, Great Wall Motors expanded into the SUV market with the launch of the Safe and Hover (later renamed Haval) SUV lines. The company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2003 under ticker 2333.HK, raising capital to fund its expansion. Great Wall Motors became the first Chinese automaker to export vehicles to international markets in significant volumes, entering markets in Africa, the Middle East, South America, and eventually Australia and Europe.

The company underwent a major brand restructuring in the 2010s, separating its vehicle lineup into distinct sub-brands: Haval for SUVs, WEY for premium vehicles, ORA for electric vehicles, and Tank for off-road vehicles. The GWM brand itself became the corporate umbrella and was used for pickup trucks and commercial vehicles. This multi-brand strategy allowed Great Wall Motors to target different market segments with dedicated products and marketing.

Great Wall Motors has invested heavily in new energy vehicles and autonomous driving technology. The company operates multiple R&D centers in China, Japan, Germany, India, Austria, and South Korea, employing over 20,000 engineers. In 2021, Great Wall Motors announced plans to invest $14 billion in electrification and intelligent driving technology. The company has expanded its global manufacturing footprint with plants in Thailand, Brazil, and Russia, and has entered the European and Australian markets with competitive electric and hybrid vehicles.