Revived Freelander from China: first photos and plans of the brand

A joint venture between Chery and Land Rover presented the Freelander Concept 97 in China - the first crossover of the revived Freelander brand, stylized as a classic SUV, but built on a modern 800-volt electric platform.

New Freelander: return of the name in the format of a Chinese electric crossover

The alliance of Chery and Land Rover (Chery–JLR) presented the first crossover of the revived brand Freelander in China, as reported by specialized publications and social networks, where the first photos from the closed presentation appeared. For now, the car has the status of a concept car and is named Freelander Concept 97 - in honor of 1997, when the original Land Rover Freelander debuted.

It is important that Freelander is now a separate brand, and not a version of Land Rover: it will be positioned as an independent brand of new energy-intensive SUVs, using the British design DNA and the technological base of Chery. For the market, this means the emergence of another “Chinese” player in the premium segment, formally independent from the traditional Land Rover logos, but with their clear stylistic influence.

Concept 97 design: angular silhouette and modern screens

Freelander Concept 97 received a deliberately angular body with a whole scattering of references to the brand’s early models. Among them are composite head optics, a characteristic silhouette with massive front and rear parts, as well as slanted rear pillars, reminiscent of the classic Freelander with its glass block design.

The interior is made according to modern canons: inside there is a large central vertical display and an additional screen stretched along the lower edge of the windshield from pillar to post, which combines the instrument area and auxiliary display functions. Physical buttons were retained, but in a minimal number - mainly on the steering wheel and in the center console. According to the available photographs and descriptions, the interior is designed according to the scheme 2+2+2, and the six-seater layout with a third row “sofa” makes the crossover more like a “lounge shuttle” than a utilitarian SUV.

Platform and technology: 800 V, EV and hybrids

Although the specific characteristics of the concept's powertrain have not been officially revealed, it has already been confirmed that the production Freelander will be based on the 800-volt architecture developed by Chery. This platform supports both all-electric powertrains and plug-in hybrids (PHEV) and range-extender hybrids, that is, we are talking about a family of “new energy SUVs” with different degrees of electrification.

Individual sources indicate the use of CATL batteries, as well as the integration of Huawei intelligent driver assistance systems with lidar and advanced autopilot, although these details have not yet been fully confirmed for the Concept 97 specifically. In any case, it is already clear that the future “reborn Freelander” will rely on Chinese developments in the field of batteries, electronics and ADAS, and the British side brings to the project, first of all, design and image.

Production, product line and plans to enter global markets

Under the Freelander brand, within the next five years it is planned to launch six models on the market, which will be produced at the facilities of the Chery-Jaguar Land Rover joint venture in Changshu, China. About 3 billion yuan has already been invested to modernize the plant for the production of electric vehicles and hybrids, and the brand's operational center is located in Shanghai, with additional design and R&D centers in Gaydon (UK) and Suzhou.

The debut market for the new product will be China, but from the very beginning the strategy included global export: the joint venture has already agreed that each model will be adapted to the requirements of specific foreign markets, including chassis settings, climate packages and electronic services. There are no official announcements for Russia, but given the growing presence of Chinese passenger brands and interest in premium crossovers, it is possible that the “new Freelander” may eventually appear here as another representative of the Chinese premium electric segment.