A DECADE after it ceased production of the Freelander, Jaguar Land Rover Automotive is reviving the four-wheel drive car as an electric vehicle (EV) made and sold in China.
The heritage marque and China’s Chery Automobile signed a letter of intent to license the Freelander brand in order to create a new lineup of EVs, the companies said on Wednesday (Jun 19). Manufacturing will be run by CJLR, the automakers’ 50-50 joint venture, using Chery’s production facilities and components.
Jaguar Land Rover is seeking to gain share in the world’s biggest auto market, where homegrown brands such as BYD and Great Wall Motor are rolling out gadget-heavy electric and hybrid vehicles to cater to the rising popularity of outdoor activities. Manufacturing the Freelander as an EV is also set to help the push by parent, Tata Motors, for its electric business to reach profitability.
The Freelander will be made in Changshu and released to the Chinese market first, with plans to export globally in the future. The CJLR joint venture, which has been in place since 2012, will continue to make a range of petrol vehicles.
The companies did not detail when production of the Freelander will start. The model was discontinued in 2015 and succeeded by the Discovery Sport. BLOOMBERG
