The Freelander, a new energy vehicle brand set up by the Chinese automaker Chery and British auto manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover, has revealed the first production SUV, the Freelander 8, with the release of the official image on the Weibo account.
The ‘vehicle’ teased is based on Concept 97, which was showcased back in 2025. Its Chinese market debut is scheduled for the second half of 2026, and then the brand will introduce it to the European market.
In China it may be introduced with a price range from 280,000 to 400,000 yuan (41,000 to 58,500 USD), but in the European market it will be a little costly. The estimated price range for the United Kingdom is 55,000 to 75,000 euro (63,500 to 86,500 USD).
Design Highlights
The images revealed by the Freelander on their Webio account for the Freelander 8 reveal all about its front, sides, and rear. It features a defender-like stance to give it off-road SUV proportions.
The front fascia has a clean and traditional grill but looks modern. The headlights are rectangular in shape, adding a bold look and SUV character. It features a flat and upright nose for strong road presence and a chunky bumper with black cladding for off-road readiness.
On the sides, the boxy and upright silhouette adds classic off-road proportions, and the straight shoulder line gives a premium look, flush-type door handles for better efficiency, and large alloy wheels with black cladding for a rugged stance.
The rear comes with upright and flat tailgates, vertical taillamps to add simplicity and ruggedness, a wide stance for enhanced stability, a roof spoiler for added slight sportiness, and a minimal-clutter design for EV aesthetics.
Specs & Tech
The Freelander 8 is built on the platform that supports different powertrains, including electric vehicle (EV), extended-range electric vehicle (EREV), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). Its electrical architecture is 800-volt, whose maximum charging capacity is 350 KW DC. The battery that the vehicle uses is developed by CATL, which supports 6C ultra-fast charging.
The vehicle is equipped with an advanced driving assistant system that is powered by Huawei ADS 5, which works with a roof-mounted 896-line LiDAR unit. Also features an i-ATS intelligent all-terrain system that is integrated with LiDAR and cameras for terrain recognition. For computing, it gets a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8397 chip.
Expectations
The length, width, and height are likely to measure 5,100 mm, 2,000 mm, and 1,800 mm, respectively; the wheelbase may be around 3,000 mm, good to give ample legroom for rear-seating passengers. The ground clearance is expected to be around 200 mm so it can smoothly run on rough terrain and do off-roading.
It is expected to be introduced with the sitting capacity of 6 people with the layout of 2-2-2. The second row will feature a captain’s seat with zero gravity and other smart features such as ventilation, heating, and massage. The cabin is expected to be equipped with a large floating infotainment system for occupants.
Multiple digital displays are likely across the cabin for entertainment purposes and will also feature multiple wireless charging pads for fast and convenient phone charging, multi-color ambient lighting to enhance cabin mood, a built-in refrigerator for heating and cooling, and a foldable table in the second for eating and working.
As it is a rugged SUV, it is more likely the car will come with a double-motor AWD configuration with single-speed automatic transmission. The expected timing for 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 60 mph) acceleration is 5-6 seconds, and top speed is most likely to be around 200 km/h (124 mph). It may get a large battery pack featuring a range of around 600 km (373 miles).