Chery Jaguar Land Rover's FREELANDER Brand Launches First Model Off Production Line, Plans Six New Vehicles in Five Years

On August 1, FREELANDER—the joint venture brand established by Chery and Jaguar Land Rover—announced that the first production unit of its debut model, the FREELANDER 8, has officially rolled off the assembly line. Pre-sales are scheduled to begin on August 10. The vehicle comes standard with Huawei’s Qiankun intelligent driving system. The brand stated that its initial monthly sales target is between 5,000 and 8,000 units, emphasizing that achieving this volume—while maintaining stable delivery quality and strong user satisfaction—would constitute an initial success. FREELANDER follows a “1+3” global product matrix strategy, comprising a China left-hand-drive version, an international left-hand-drive version, an EU-spec version, and a right-hand-drive version, targeting global markets. The brand plans to launch six new models within five years starting from 2026, covering plug-in hybrid, battery electric, and range-extended powertrain configurations. Its mid-term goal is to exceed annual sales of 300,000 units within three to five years, with a balanced 1:1 split between domestic and overseas markets. The brand operates with a relatively independent decision-making structure, and both shareholders have so far provided investment and support in line with expectations. With the rollout of its first production vehicle, FREELANDER has officially entered the market phase.