Jaguar Land Rover and Chery Launch New "Freelander" Brand with $4.2B Investment to Fully Pivot to NEVs

At the global debut event of the FREELANDER on March 31, Chery Jaguar Land Rover announced the transformation of the previously single-model "Freelander" into an independent new energy vehicle brand focused on premium, tech-driven, all-terrain SUVs. Wen Fei, Executive Vice President and Director of the company, stated that the partnership between the two sides has entered a "Joint Venture 3.0 era," pioneering a new model for the post-joint venture period. To support this strategic shift, Chery Jaguar Land Rover will invest RMB 3 billion to upgrade the new energy vehicle production line at its Changshu plant, while simultaneously advancing new design initiatives, product development, and team building. With the final Range Rover Evoque L ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle rolling off the production line, the company has fully transitioned toward electrification. Over the next five years, the Freelander brand plans to launch six new models at a pace of one every six months. The brand’s headquarters and marketing center will be based in Gubei, Shanghai; its R&D center will be located near the National Exhibition and Convention Center; its manufacturing base will remain in Changshu; and it will operate an additional research institute in Suzhou.