Facing the rising tide of electrification, every automaker in the industry is looking for its own development path. Jaguar Land Rover is firmly moving towards a new era of electrification.
Recently, Jaguar Land Rover and Chery Automobile signed a letter of intent for strategic cooperation. The two parties intend to jointly promote a new cooperation model, aiming to further strengthen the product matrix of its joint venture in China, Chery Jaguar Land Rover, and move towards the coming era of electrification. This move marks that the two parties will jointly open a new model of value creation, and use the reshaped product matrix to allow Jaguar Land Rover to bring a new electric travel experience to Chinese consumers.
According to the strategic cooperation letter of intent signed this time, the new cooperation model between the two parties fully utilizes the advantageous resources of both parties, integrating Chery Automobile's leading position in the Chinese automobile market and Jaguar Land Rover's unique brand origin and design strength in the world, to create a development prospect of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.
In other words, Chery Jaguar Land Rover will launch a new electric vehicle product line, which will be equipped with Chery's pure electric platform and use the "Freelander" brand authorized by Jaguar Land Rover. This brand was once a hot-selling model under Land Rover, and was produced from 1997 to 2015, and was replaced by the Discovery Sport in 2016. The brand has a deep market foundation and consumer reputation. Now it has been reborn on the Chery Jaguar Land Rover platform and will be revitalized.
According to the announcement, the "Freelander" will be independent of Chery's existing product line and the Jaguar Land Rover brand family. The model is jointly created by the creative design teams of Chery and Jaguar Land Rover, and establishes a new positioning in the Chinese new energy market. The product will be produced at the Chery Jaguar Land Rover Changshu plant.
It is reported that the "Freelander" electric product line will be sold in the Chinese market through a specific network in advance, and will also be exported overseas in the future. This strategic move will not only strengthen Chery Jaguar Land Rover's competitiveness in the Chinese market, but will also further enhance its position in the global market.
Regarding this cooperation, Adrian Mardell, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, said: "This cooperation with Chery is a strategic step for Jaguar Land Rover's development in China. We firmly believe that by working together with Chery and combining the unique charm of the 'Freelander' brand, we will create a broader development prospect for Chery Jaguar Land Rover and bring more high-quality electric travel options to Chinese and global consumers."
Yin Tongyue, Chairman of Chery Holding Group, said: "The cooperation between Chery and Jaguar Land Rover is a reflection of the development ambitions of both parties. We will leverage Chery's advantages in new energy vehicle technology and combine it with the unique charm of the 'Freelander' brand to bring consumers a more unique new energy product experience."
Since Jaguar Land Rover released the latest measures of its "Reshaping the Future" strategy in 2023 - brand reshaping strategy and electrification process, Jaguar Land Rover has achieved a transformation that can be described as a complete transformation. Its brands have been re-split and reorganized into four major brand families consisting of RANGE ROVER, DEFENDER, DISCOVERY and JAGUAR. From products to marketing and services, it has achieved rapid iteration and achieved both sales and reputation in the market. This luxury brand with a rich heritage is actively transforming to seize the "second chance" for future development.
Today, as the era of electrification arrives and the automotive industry undergoes major changes, the new cooperation model between Jaguar Land Rover and Chery and the new "Freelander" electric product line will undoubtedly bring new development opportunities to both parties, inject new vitality into the automotive industry in China and even the world, and further drive Jaguar Land Rover towards a future of "new modern luxury".
