FREELANDER
– Ownership and Brief History
1. Company Ownership
The Freelander brand is operated by Chery Jaguar Land Rover (CJLR), a 50:50 joint venture between China’s Chery Automobile and the UK’s Jaguar Land Rover (a subsidiary of Tata Motors).
Under a strategic licensing agreement, JLR owns the trademark and leads product design and brand DNA, while Chery provides its modular EV architectures, intelligent vehicle technology, and supply chain management. The marque operates as an independent, standalone premium NEV (New Energy Vehicle) brand.
2. Brief History
The Freelander name originated in 1997 as Land Rover’s pioneering compact crossover. After production ended in 2014, JLR and Chery announced a major joint-venture restructuring in June 2024 to revive the badge as an all-electric, standalone global brand.
Headquartered in Shanghai with R&D facilities in Suzhou, Freelander produces smart plug-in hybrid and battery-electric vehicles built on Chery’s EV platform at its upgraded Changshu facility. Officially launched in early 2026 with the debut of its Concept 97 and Freelander 8 SUV, the brand targets both the Chinese domestic market and global exports. As yet, they do not have any BEVs as the initial model is a range extended vehicle FREELANDER 8, with true BEVs following.