- Freelander shared multiple images of its first production model testing in extreme cold.
- The production vehicle retains much of the Concept 97's design and will feature Huawei technology.
Freelander, the revived electric vehicle brand under the joint venture between Chery and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has released a video and multiple images of its first production SUV to build momentum ahead of its official launch.
The boxy-shaped model underwent winter testing in extreme cold environments of minus 30 degrees Celsius in Sweden, according to a Weibo post published by Freelander on Monday.
Its overall design carries over from the Concept 97, which debuted on March 31. The vehicle will adopt advanced autonomous driving technology provided by Huawei and is slated to launch in China in the second half of this year.
As a result of deep collaborative development with Huawei, the production vehicle will come standard with Huawei's Qiankun ADS 4.1 smart driving system, according to previously released information from Freelander.
It will be equipped with an 896-channel LiDAR, making it the first all-terrain SUV to feature the advanced technology, which is aimed at significantly enhancing its autonomous driving capabilities.
The model will also be powered by Qualcomm's latest-generation Snapdragon 8397 automotive-grade chip, which boasts a CPU computing power three times higher than its predecessor.
Freelander and Huawei Yinwang have formed a joint research and development team to introduce the i-ATS intelligent all-terrain system for the new car, aiming to deliver outstanding off-road performance.
More detailed information about the model is expected to be revealed in June. Huawei is also set to provide specific details about its latest smart driving system at a technology launch event in April.
Freelander's history dates back to 1997, and it topped the best-selling SUV charts in Europe for five consecutive years. The Land Rover model was once a vehicle of choice for the British royal family.
At an event in Shanghai on March 31, Freelander was upgraded to an independent brand.
Freelander will build a completely new brand based on a new architecture, geared toward global competition over the next five to 10 years, Wen Fei, its global CEO and executive vice president of Chery Jaguar Land Rover, said at the launch event.
Wen said that Freelander plans to intensively release six new models over the next five years to target China's fiercely competitive luxury EV market.
To support the massive product lineup, the joint venture will invest an additional 3 billion yuan ($439 million) in its manufacturing plant in Changshu, Jiangsu province, for production line upgrades.
($1 = 6.8333 yuan)
