Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Chery Automobile have inked a Letter of Intent that revitalizes their 12-year partnership, setting a fresh course for the CJLR (Chery Jaguar Land Rover) collaboration with a sharp focus on electric vehicles (EVs) amid China’s rapid shift to electrification.
This collaboration merges Chery’s dominant position in the Chinese auto market with JLR’s renowned design heritage. The strategic move will see CJLR adopting Chery’s pioneer EV architecture to develop an exclusive range of electric vehicles under the revitalized Freelander brand.
JLR CEO Adrian Mardell articulated the venture’s renewed focus: “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.”
The rejuvenated Freelander will operate independently of both Chery’s and JLR’s current product arrays, marking a major evolution in the CJLR partnership. This repositioning presents Freelander as a flagship brand in the growing electric vehicle sector.
Chery Group Chairman Yin Tongyue highlighted the innovations behind the collaboration: “Chery and JLR are forging an innovative collaboration model that epitomises our growth path for the future. The blend of Chery’s advanced EV technology with the distinctive appeal of the Freelander brand will undoubtedly provide China and global consumers with a unique electric vehicle experience.”
The Freelander, originally launched by Land Rover in 1997 and produced until its succession by the Discovery Sport in 2015, is poised for a comeback. The new revival will target the mainstream electric vehicle market in China, with a distinct sales network poised for future expansion into global markets.
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