Jaguar Land Rover is expanding its House of Brands by introducing a new brand called Freelander. The company has signed a Letter of Intent to license this brand to its Chinese joint-venture partner, Chery. The Freelander brand was previously used for a compact four-wheel-drive model sold by Land Rover from 1997 to 2015. Despite facing some criticism, the Freelander was popular as it offered a more affordable entry point into the Land Rover family.
The revived Freelander brand will now focus on producing “mainstream” pure-electric vehicles that are not currently part of the JLR or Chery lineups. While the initial launch will be in China, there are plans to introduce the Freelander range to international markets in the future. The new vehicles will be developed by teams from both automakers and will be based on Chery’s E0X battery-electric architecture.
The E0X platform is capable of supporting an 800-volt architecture, Level 3 autonomous driving, and air suspension setups. It is also compatible with range-extended electric vehicles, a type of powertrain that has been growing in popularity. Sales of extended-range EVs have seen a significant increase in China, with a 157% rise reported from January 2023 to September 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.
Chery’s Luxeed R7 electric vehicle, which is based on the E0X platform, offers single- and dual-motor variants with power ranging from 288 horsepower to 489 hp. The vehicle boasts an impressive maximum range of 531 miles on the Chinese cycle. Additionally, Chery has announced plans to share its M3X platform with the Chery Jaguar Land Rover collaboration. The M3X platform is designed to accommodate internal combustion and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
JLR’s press release indicates that the initial Freelander lineup will consist of electric vehicles. However, there may be potential for expanding powertrain options in the future as the electric vehicle market gains momentum. Alternatively, the M3X platform could be utilized for a different range of products within the Freelander brand. This strategic move by Jaguar Land Rover and Chery highlights the growing importance of electric mobility in the automotive industry and sets the stage for future innovation and collaboration in the EV space.