Jaguar Land Rover and Chery Revive Freelander Brand; First New Energy 6-Seater SUV Spied

Jaguar Land Rover has partnered with Chery to revive the Freelander brand—dormant for over a decade—and reposition it as an independent new energy sub-brand. The first model under this revived brand (codenamed E0V) will be a large six-seat plug-in SUV exceeding 5.1 meters in length, featuring a 2+2+2 seating layout that blends rugged off-road styling with a coupe-like silhouette. It is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2026. Built on Chery’s E0X pure-electric platform, the vehicle will be offered in both battery-electric and range-extended variants. The BEV version will support 800V high-voltage fast charging and come standard with air suspension and Level 2 driver-assistance systems. This new model will replace the Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque, both of which are set to cease production in China. It will be manufactured at the Chery Jaguar Land Rover plant in Changshu, where a dedicated production line has already been allocated RMB 3 billion in investment and is slated to begin operations in 2026. Freelander will be sold exclusively through Chery’s own sales channels and will not be integrated into Jaguar Land Rover’s “House of Brands” luxury portfolio, instead targeting a differentiated market segment.