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Freelander Revives as an Electric SUV Brand
Land Rover Spins Off an Emotion-Driven Independent Brand
Targets Global Market with PHEV-Based Three-Row SUVs
Freelander – source: Land Rover
The Freelander, which had been discontinued, has returned in a completely new form.
Jaguar Land Rover and Chery Automobile’s China joint venture has relaunched the Freelander as an independent brand aimed at the electrified SUV market.
The newly revealed Concept 97 honors the heritage of the 1997 Freelander and points to the brand’s new strategic direction.
Retains Land Rover DNA…
…and borrows Defender cues
Freelander – source: Land Rover
The design strongly reflects Land Rover’s identity.
The front end and overall silhouette evoke the Land Rover Defender, while styling cues from the original Freelander are integrated throughout.
Notably, the slanted D-pillar recalls the 1997 three-door model, and the black cladding and headlamp arrangement take inspiration from the 2003 facelift.
The concept features coach (suicide) doors, though the production version is expected to use conventional hinges.
Six models over five years…
Built in China, then expanded globally
Freelander – source: Land Rover
The joint venture plans to roll out six new Freelander models over the next five years.
All models will be built at the Changshu plant in China, replacing the production lines that currently make the Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque.
The launch will begin in China and expand to other markets, but production being China-based means tariffs could restrict availability in some regions—most notably the United States.
PHEV and range extenders
A practicality-first strategy
Freelander – source: Land Rover
The production Freelander is expected to debut as a three-row, six-seat SUV.
Powertrain options are likely to include battery-electric variants as well as plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and range-extender configurations.
That approach aims to balance off-road capability with long-distance range, positioning the model as a practical electrified SUV rather than a pure battery-electric crossover.
Analysts characterize the Freelander’s return as an experiment that combines brand heritage and technology as the global electric SUV market shifts toward China-centric production and platforms.
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