Ebro Revives Zona Franca Plant, Fulfilling Reindustrialisation Plan

In December 2021, after more than 40 years of operation, Nissan closed its plant in the Zona Franca of Barcelona, initiating a complex process to find a replacement that would ensure the continuity of one of the emblems of Catalan and Spanish industry.

Various options were considered - the Chinese Great Wall Motor withdrew at the last moment, as did the idea of turning the Zona Franca into an armoured vehicle repair plant for the Army - until Ebro, in partnership with the Chinese company Chery, took over the facilities. Exactly a year ago, they rolled out the EBRO s700 from the assembly line, reviving a historic brand 70 years later.

Ebro's establishment in the Zona Franca, despite a sometimes challenging start, is meeting the projected targets. As highlighted yesterday by Rafael Ruiz, President of Ebro EV Motors, the initiative "is an example of how the national industry can reinvent itself when there is commitment, technology, and a great team."

It is emphasised that the fulfilment of reindustrialisation agreements, particularly those related to employment, is evident as Ebro now employs 1,000 workers at the Barcelona plant and has generated over 2,500 jobs, including indirect positions.

This milestone was celebrated this afternoon during a gala at the MNAC to mark the first year of operation. Pedro Calef, CEO of Ebro Motors, expressed his delight, stating, "We dreamed of manufacturing cars in Barcelona again, and today it is a reality: we produce, sell, and accompany more than 10,000 customers on the road with the same enthusiasm as the first day, but with the knowledge of a history that began in 1954. Ebro is here to stay, to generate employment, innovation, and industrial pride."

According to the company, Ebro was listed on BME Growth and achieved a revaluation of over 20% in its share price, with a market capitalisation of around 400 million. "The group is already on the path to positive numbers after reporting a positive EBITDA in the first quarter of activity - from July to September - and earning more in three months than in the rest of the year. These results reinforce confidence in achieving the goal of reaching the profitability threshold by 2025," the company notes.

Since the production of the EBRO s700 began in November last year, Ebro has added the EBRO s800 to its model portfolio, including plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions; the urban hybrid SUV EBRO s400; and now the EBRO s900 PHEV 4x4, the "flagship of the new EBRO generation," officially presented at the MNAC event.

Until last October, Ebro manufactured nearly 12,000 vehicles, which it has sold through a sales network that will reach 90 dealerships across Spain by the end of the year, ensuring after-sales service at all of them, and will expand to 120 sales points by 2026. In October, 45% of sales were of electrified models.

"After investing 100 million in the plant, a new robotic production line will start in the first quarter of 2026, tripling production capacity, including painting and welding activities," the firm points out. "The new line will aim to localise production as much as possible in Barcelona, with the goal of creating wealth in the area, generating and retaining high-quality talent and employment, and further integrating the local supplier network, including for vehicle batteries."

The event also featured Charlie Zhang, Vice President of Chery International, Ebro's technological partner and China's largest vehicle exporter. Ebro EV Motors and Chery sealed an alliance in April 2024 through the creation of two joint ventures, with a majority of Spanish capital: EBRO SUV, for the marketing and after-sales of EBRO-branded SUV vehicles; and EBRO FACTORY, for the production of models from both automotive firms.