Freelander revives, now as Chery-JLR's NEV brand

China (ANTARA) - Chery and Jaguar Land Rover have officially relaunched Freelander as a global new energy vehicle (NEV) brand, while introducing its first concept model.

Freelander, which officially became an independent brand in June 2024, is the result of a collaboration between the two companies, combining luxury automotive heritage with new energy vehicle technology.

Its first model is scheduled to launch in the second half of this year, according to the Carnewschina website on Tuesday (31/3) local time.

Freelander’s global headquarters is based in Shanghai, supported by a global network that includes a design centre in Gaydon, UK, the Shanghai design centre, the Suzhou research institute, and an intelligent manufacturing base in Changshu. All products will be designed jointly by global design teams in Gaydon and Shanghai.

Freelander has obtained NEV production approval by the end of 2025, affirming its readiness for large-scale manufacturing. Production of the first model is scheduled to begin at the Changshu plant in late 2026.

Freelander is also introducing a new platform for its entire SUV lineup, supporting pure electric power, plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and range-extended options, including a high-voltage 800V platform.

The debut model will be equipped with advanced technology, such as Huawei’s Qiankun intelligent driving system with a 896-line LiDAR, the i-ATS all-terrain system, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8397 chip, and the “Freevoy Range-Extended Hybrid” battery developed in collaboration with CATL, supporting charging up to 360 kW.

This six-seater SUV has a length of more than 5,100 mm and a wheelbase exceeding 3,000 mm, with a 2+2+2 seating configuration.

The Freelander name has a long history since its introduction in 1997 as Land Rover’s first unibody SUV. After being discontinued around 2014–2015, the brand is now revived as an independent NEV brand through the strategic cooperation of the two companies.