Jaguar Land Rover is relaunching the Freelander as an electric SUV to compete with BYD in the world’s largest electric vehicle market. The Freelander EV is one of JLR’s plans to revamp the logo as the industry transitions to electric.
JLR’s iconic ‘House of Brands’, which includes Range Rover, Defender, Discover and Jaguar, will look to locate its identity as the industry moves to electric.
On Tuesday, at JLR’s 2024 Investor Day, the logo announced that it would relaunch the Freelander, which has been out of production for a decade, as an electric vehicle logo. The Freelander SUV built between 1997 and 2015 but replaced by the Discovery Sport in 2016.
JLR has signed a letter of intent to license the Freelander logo in China with Chery Automotive. The logo will expand on the joint venture between Jaguar Land Rover and Chery (CJLR), opening a new chapter.
Adrian Mardell, JLR’s chief executive, said the new collaboration, “combined with the appeal of the Freelander brand, promises a very exciting long-term career for CJLR. “
As part of the proposed deal, CJLR will produce electric cars under the Freelander model on the Chery platform. Freelander electric cars will be independent of the existing Chery and JLR brands.
The new Freelander electric cars will be manufactured at CJLR’s production facility in Changshu. Although they will be “initially sold in China,” the new EV logo is “intended for global export” over time.
Jaguar Land Rover is looking to compete with BYD and others in the world’s largest electric vehicle market. Although the company has been growing in the region for the past six years, China’s high-end automotive market is evolving rapidly. The company said the expansion is “driven through expansion into the premium segment along with the immediate penetration of electric vehicles. “
Automakers, such as BYD, are the luxury segment with powerful new brands like Yangwang.
BYD’s Yangwang logo began delivering its first vehicle in December 2023, the U8 off-road SUV, with a starting price of more than $150,000 (1,089,000 yuan). In February, it unveiled the U9 electric sports car.
Meanwhile, the waiting list for the Range Rover Electric, the brand’s first electric vehicle, has doubled in months (read more about the Range Rover EV here).
Can Jaguar Land Rover’s new Freelander EV logo compete with market leaders like BYD?Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Peter Johnson covers the automotive industry’s step-by-step transformation to electric vehicles. He is a seasoned investor, money writer, and electric vehicle enthusiast. His enthusiasm for electric vehicles, basically Tesla, is one of the main reasons why he pursued a career in investments. . If he doesn’t tell you about his latest discoveries in the 10K, you can locate him enjoying the outdoors or exercising.