FREELANDER was once a classic compact luxury SUV series under Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). In June 2024, Jaguar Land Rover and Chery Automobile signed a strategic cooperation agreement, announcing that "FREELANDER" would officially transform into an independent luxury new energy vehicle brand. In March 2026, the Freelander global brand strategy was officially released in Shanghai, marking the return of this iconic name to the global stage with a new electric posture. The new brand is operated by Chery Jaguar Land Rover, integrating the luxury design heritage of UK Jaguar Land Rover with the technical advantages of China's new energy vehicle industry chain, and is positioned as a "Luxury Tech All-Terrain SUV."
The history of Freelander traces back to 1997, when it was launched as an entry-level model for the Land Rover brand, pioneering the compact luxury SUV category. The first-generation Freelander (L318) maintained its status as the best-selling SUV in Europe for consecutive years thanks to its unique combination of off-road capability and city commuting. In 2006, the second-generation Freelander (L359) was released, further enhancing the sense of luxury and road driving quality. In 2014, with the restructuring of the Land Rover brand lineup, the Freelander series was replaced by Land Rover Discovery Sport, officially exiting the historical stage.
In June 2024, under the "Reshaping the Future" strategy, Jaguar Land Rover announced the authorization of the Freelander brand to Chery Jaguar Land Rover, utilizing Chery's electric platform to develop an entirely new series of electric products. On March 31, 2026, the Freelander independent brand held its global debut in Shanghai, unveiling the Concept 97 concept car to preview the first mass-produced vehicle, clarifying its strategic position as an independent electric brand.
The Freelander brand plans to launch six brand-new models within the next five years, covering multiple technology routes including Pure Electric (BEV), Extended Range (EREV), and Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV). Its product naming system is expected to distinguish levels by numbers.
Freelander 8: As the brand's flagship debut model, it was officially unveiled at the April 2026 Beijing Auto Show. This vehicle is a large 6-seat all-terrain SUV with a length exceeding 5.1 meters, deeply developed based on Chery's high-end electric platform E0X.
Concept 97 Series: The design tone of the brand is established here, with its naming paying tribute to the birth of the first-generation Freelander in 1997. Over the next five years, the product line will gradually cover SUVs of different levels from mid-size to large, meeting the needs of global families and outdoor adventure users.
As a newly emerged brand in 2026, Freelander adopted a strategy of "China Debut, Global Layout". In the Chinese market, the brand signed its first batch of strategic dealers in early 2026 through an innovative "New Retail" model. This model emphasizes zero inventory agency and high-efficiency operation, avoiding the "cutthroat competition" of traditional dealers. Since Freelander possesses the global reputation accumulated by Land Rover, the brand has shown extremely high market attention in the second half of 2026 after opening pre-sales in East China and the Greater Bay Area. Meanwhile, Freelander has confirmed entry into the Middle East and UK markets, leveraging Jaguar Land Rover's existing global channels for brand influence.
The core competitiveness of the brand lies in the deep integration of "Global Design" and "Chinese Intelligence":
Intelligent Driving: The Huawei Qiankun ADS 5.0 system is standard across all trims, equipped with roof LiDAR, achieving smart driving capability for all scenarios and all weather.
Power Battery: In deep cooperation with CATL, it carries the latest generation "Xiaoyao" extended hybrid battery or 4C supercharging power battery, supporting the 800V high-voltage platform, enabling 400 km range with a 10-minute charge.
Cockpit System: Adopts the latest generation 8397 automotive grade flagship chip from Qualcomm Snapdragon, supporting multi-screen linkage and AI Large Model voice interaction.
All-Terrain Performance: Inherits the essence of Land Rover's "Terrain Response", utilizing the self-developed i-ATS Smart All-Terrain System to maintain excellent off-road recovery capability in the electric era through multi-motor vector torque distribution.
Freelander's Global Headquarters is in Shanghai, but its R&D and Design present a high degree of internationalization. Vehicles are co-completed by the Jaguar Land Rover UK Gaydon Global Design Center and the Shanghai design team. The production base is located at the Chery Jaguar Land Rover Global Flagship Plant in Changshu, Jiangsu, China, which has undergone a 3 billion RMB upgrade and transformation to undertake the Freelander production line. Starting in 2026, Freelander will begin exporting to Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia markets, aiming to push China Smart Manufacturing's luxury electric vehicles to the global stage.
Freelander's resurgence is viewed by the industry as a new paradigm for global brand cooperation. In the next five years, Freelander will strive to become a strong competitor in the global New Energy luxury SUV market. With the formal delivery of the first model, Freelander 8, in 2026, the brand will enter a dense product launch period. Freelander not only carries the transformation hopes of Jaguar Land Rover in the electric era, but also represents a strategic success of China's automotive supply chain in outputting technical capabilities to the global luxury market. Its goal is to build a complete, intelligent, and powerful all-terrain green mobility ecosystem by 2030.
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