The Automotive Industry in Bulgaria
What Bulgaria makes
Automotive Cluster Bulgaria counts over 380 companies and 38 R&D centres in the sector, employing more than 80,000 people. The industry’s turnover exceeds €10 billion, about 11% of GDP.1
Suppliers in the cluster include Sensata Technologies, Melexis, Visteon Electronics, Robert Bosch, Festo, Etem Gestamp Automotive, Hanon Systems and Standard Profil. Much of the work is sensors, electronics, cables, plastics and engineering software rather than final assembly.1
What investors watch
- Wage inflation in double digits is the challenge investors raise most often.
- Bulgaria is expected to see its first gigafactory for lithium-ion and solar batteries, and its first major data centre project.
- The sector is moving from component manufacturing towards electric-vehicle parts, where Europe’s share of the supply chain is lower than for combustion engines.
Source: Economic.bg: The rise of the Bulgarian automotive industry (20 May 2026)2
New car sales
New car registrations rose 15.1% to 49,419 in 2025, the third-highest increase in the EU after Lithuania and Latvia.3
Source: BTA: Bulgaria shows EU’s third-highest rise in new car registrations in 2025 (ACEA data)3
Battery-electric registrations grew 62% and hybrids 103.5% on 2024, while diesel fell 8.6%.3
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bulgaria produce for the automotive industry?
Bulgaria supplies parts, electronics and software to the European car industry rather than assembling cars. The sector includes work on sensors, cables, plastics and engineering software, and Automotive Cluster Bulgaria counts over 380 companies and 38 R&D centres.
How many people work in Bulgaria’s automotive industry?
More than 80,000 people work in Bulgaria’s automotive industry, across over 380 companies. The sector includes suppliers of automotive parts, electronics and software.
How much does Bulgaria’s automotive industry contribute to GDP?
Bulgaria’s automotive industry has an annual turnover exceeding €10 billion, about 11% of the country’s GDP. The sector includes more than 380 companies and employs over 80,000 people.
How many new cars were registered in Bulgaria in 2025?
There were 49,419 new car registrations in Bulgaria in 2025, a 15.1% increase. This was the third-highest rise in the EU, after Lithuania and Latvia.
Sources
- Automotive Cluster Bulgaria: About the cluster
- Economic.bg: The rise of the Bulgarian automotive industry (20 May 2026)
- BTA: Bulgaria shows EU’s third-highest rise in new car registrations in 2025 (ACEA data)
Figures checked 13 October 2026. Prepared by InvestBulgaria for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.
