- JLR previously canned the Freelander name after the discontinuing of the previous Freelander SUV, back in 2015.
- Now CJLR, the joint venture between JLR and Chery, which has been ongoing for 12 years, has announced that the name will return as a standalone all-electric brand, offering several Freelander-branded EVs.
- Set to first go on sale in China, CJLR later plans to take the Freelander brand worldwide.
The return of the Freelander?
Multiple models will be released under the new Freelander brand, and if the outgoing Land Rover Freelander was anything to go by, this should consist of a lineup of small to medium sized SUVs and crossovers, which the partnership hopes will become a ‘mainstream’ EV brand. These models will use Chery’s own EV architecture, and be built at CJLR’s China factory, which already produces some China-bound Jaguar Land Rover products.
While the Freelander marque will surely draw inspiration from the rugged, go-anywhere aspects of the original models, CJLR are hoping for the brand to compete in a different section of the market to both Chery EVs, and Jaguar Land Rover models, such as the Jaguar I-PACE and upcoming Range Rover Electric. No timeframe was given on the debut of the Freelander brand within China, but if the new brand proves to be a success, you can expect to see Freelander EVs on roads outside China in the coming years.
Adrian Mardell, JLR Chief Executive Officer, commented:
“Today we are taking this important strategic step for JLR, one which underlines our ongoing commitment to China and complements our existing business in China. We believe that working together to develop new models of collaboration for the world’s largest and fastest-growing electric vehicle market, combined with the appeal of the Freelander brand, promises a very exciting future for CJLR.”
