- Freelander upgraded to standalone brand, to release six EV models over next five years.
- Global headquarters established in Shanghai, with deep partnerships forged with Huawei, CATL, and Qualcomm.
The joint venture between Chery Automobile and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) announced the revival of the Freelander brand, unveiling an aggressive product roadmap aimed at China's luxury electric vehicle (EV) market.
At an event in Shanghai on Tuesday, Freelander was elevated to an independent brand that will intensively roll out six EV models over the next five years, averaging one new vehicle every six months. The first model is slated to debut in China in the second half of this year.
To support the massive product lineup, an additional investment of 3 billion yuan ($436 million) will be injected into its manufacturing plant in Changshu, Jiangsu province, which will be used to upgrade production lines.
Freelander's global headquarters has been established in Shanghai, and the brand has launched deep joint technological research and development with Huawei, CATL, and Qualcomm.
Its first product will come standard with Huawei's Qiankun ADS smart driving system and will be the first all-terrain SUV equipped with Huawei's 896-channel LiDAR. CATL will provide a dedicated battery featuring a peak 6C ultra-fast charging rate.
The inaugural vehicle will also be the first to feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8397 automotive-grade chip.
Marking the first tangible result of the strategic partnership, Freelander's first concept car, Concept 97, made its global debut. Co-designed by teams in China and the UK, the model retains the brand's classic boxy exterior.
The new vehicle is developed on the globally debuted iMax platform architecture, which supports multiple powertrain combinations, including pure electric and range-extended options.
On the business model front, Freelander is seeking to transform traditional auto dealers into asset-light service providers through a full-process franchising mechanism.
Freelander's history dates back to 1997. It topped the European SUV best-seller list for five consecutive years, and the Land Rover model was once a vehicle of choice for the British royal family.
Freelander will utilize a completely new architecture to build a brand new marque geared toward global competition over the next five to 10 years, Wen Fei, Freelander's global CEO and deputy president of Chery Jaguar Land Rover, said at the launch event.
The brand has already signed contracts for over 60 stores across 50 cities in China, and plans to reach a target of 100 stores nationwide by 2026.
($1 = 6.8847 yuan)
