JLR WILL RESURRECT the Freelander name for a new line of electrified cars in China – and it plans to eventually export them worldwide.
The new cars will be based on an architecture supplied by the company’s Chinese joint-venture partner, Chery, which currently builds various Jaguar and Land Rover models for the world’s largest new car market.
They will be “independent from both Chery’s existing portfolio and JLR’s modern luxury House of Brands”.
JLR will still launch electric Land Rover models for other global markets using its MLA and EMA modular platforms, and Jaguar will introduce a new line of luxury EVs using the bespoke JEA platform.
Freelander models will be designed and engineered for the “mainstream”, and while they will be sold exclusively in China initially, JLR said they will be exported globally “over time”, albeit without giving further details about planned markets or timelines.
No technical details have been disclosed, but it has been widely reported in China that the platforms will be shared with Chery premium brand Exeed, which itself plans to come to Europe by 2026.
One of these, say the reports, will be the M3X, which Chery developed together with engineering and manufacturing giant Magna International. It can host both pure-combustion and plug-in hybrid powertrains, but Freelanders are expected to offer only the latter.
Chery’s latest Super Hybrid PHEV powertrain combines a petrol engine with two electric motors inside the gearbox and a large-capacity battery to provide an electric-only range of up to 99 miles.
The other architecture that Freelander will use i
