Building on their 12-year relationship and well-established joint venture, JLR and Chery have signed a Letter of Intent to strengthen CJLR’s product offer for the next era of electrification in China. CJLR is the 50/50 joint venture of Jaguar Land Rover Ltd and Chery Automobile Company.

Under the proposed new licensing agreement, the CJLR Joint Venture will pivot to produce an advanced portfolio of electric vehicles based on Chery’s EV architecture, exclusively under the Freelander name.

Marking the beginning of a new strategic phase for CJLR, Freelander will become a brand reborn under license from JLR as part of a new value creation system independent from both Chery’s existing portfolio and JLR’s modern luxury House of Brands.

JLR’s Freelander brand was a Land Rover vehicle which was successfully produced between 1997 – 2015. It was succeeded by the Discovery Sport in 2016. In reborn CJLR form, Freelander will offer a range of mainstream electric vehicles, initially sold in China through a distinct network but over time destined for global export.

The vehicles will be designed in collaboration with both Chery and JLR’s Creative teams to create a new positioning in the rapidly growing China mainstream New Energy Vehicle (NEV) market. The products will be built at CJLR’s existing manufacturing facility in Changshu.