For nearly a decade, Chery has been manufacturing Jaguar Land Rover vehicles in China. Drawing inspiration from its British partner, especially evident in the Land Rover-influenced Jaecoo brand, Chery has now reached an agreement with JLR to acquire the rights to the Freelander brand for the development of a new lineup of electric vehicles.
This brand will focus on mainstream electric vehicles, distinct from both Chery’s current offerings and JLR’s array of brands such as Discovery, Defender, Range Rover, and Jaguar. The vehicles will be jointly designed by Chery and JLR teams, utilizing Chery’s own electric vehicle architecture and manufactured at the existing Chery Jaguar Land Rover (CJLR) facility in Changshu.
Initially, Freelander cars will be exclusively marketed in China through a dedicated dealer network, with plans for global distribution in the future. The Freelander moniker was previously used for Land Rover’s entry-level SUV, with two generations produced starting in 1997 before being succeeded by the Discovery Sport in 2014.
“Today, we are embarking on this significant strategic move for JLR, a step that reinforces our steadfast dedication to China, enhancing our existing operations in the country,” stated JLR CEO Adrian Mardell. “By collaborating to innovate and create new models suited for the world’s largest and fastest-growing electric vehicle market, coupled with the allure of the Freelander brand, we anticipate an exceptionally promising future for CJLR.”
Yin Tongyue, Chairman of Chery Group, also commented: “Chery and JLR are pioneering a novel collaborative model that epitomizes our vision for future growth. The fusion of Chery’s advanced electric vehicle technology with the distinctive charm of the Freelander brand is poised to offer consumers in China and globally a distinctive electric vehicle experience.”
The Freelander agreement is expected to be part of a reciprocal arrangement where JLR will access Chery’s platforms for its own electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Car News China reported that JLR plans to utilize Exeed brand’s M3X platform (for internal combustion engine and plug-in hybrids) along with the E0X platform (for electric vehicles).
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