Here’s chery-JLR’s Freelander 8 opens pre-sales from $50,080, with Huawei driver assist standard
- The Freelander 8 is an extended-range all-terrain SUV that comes standard with Huawei’s Qiankun ADS 5 across the lineup.
- The vehicle goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and has a CLTC all-electric range of 310 km.
The Freelander brand, revived by the joint venture between Chery (HKEX: 9973) and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has set a pre-sales price starting at 339,900 yuan ($50,080) for its first model, entering China’s fiercely competitive premium extended-range SUV market.
The Freelander 8 opened pre-sales in China on Friday in five versions. The entry-level large five-seat version starts at 339,900 yuan, while six-seat models begin with the Pro version at 349,900 yuan, followed by the Max at 379,900 yuan and the Max+ at 429,900 yuan.
The launch limited edition, capped at 1,000 units, is listed at 459,900 yuan, with a locked-order benefit price of 449,900 yuan.
The vehicle comes standard with Huawei’s Qiankun ADS 5 across the lineup and is among the world’s first to feature Qualcomm’s latest-generation Snapdragon 8397 automotive-grade chip, which delivers 320 TOPS of computing power. The chip’s NPU computing power is 12 times that of the previous-generation 8295, the brand said.
For perception hardware, the Freelander 8 carries an 896-channel LiDAR from Huawei that Freelander said can identify a 14-centimeter obstacle at up to 120 meters.
It also features Huawei’s in-cabin laser vision Limera solution, along with a dToF solid-state rear LiDAR.
For powertrain, all versions come standard with a 1.5T four-cylinder range extender with ENC active noise cancellation, with thermal efficiency of 45.79%.
The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system delivers a combined 610 kW (818 hp) and peak torque of 813 Nm, going from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds.
The battery comes from CATL (HKEX: 3750), a Shenxing Pro all-terrain-specific ternary lithium pack with a capacity of 60.3 kWh, providing a CLTC all-electric range of 310 km.
The Freelander 8 is built on an 800-volt 6C high-voltage range-extended platform, allowing charging from 20% to 80% in as little as 12 minutes.
Off-road hardware includes a 250 kW two-speed rear motor with maximum wheel-end torque of 8,000 Nm.
The vehicle comes standard with ±10-degree rear-wheel steering, giving it a turning radius of no more than 5.15 meters, and supports crab mode.
The chassis features standard closed dual-chamber air suspension and CCD continuously variable damping shock absorbers, paired with a front mechanical differential lock, a rear e-LSD and a virtual center lock, as well as an i-ATS intelligent all-terrain system tuned jointly with Huawei.
In wading mode, the Freelander 8’s suspension can automatically raise ground clearance by up to 270 mm, and issues a warning when the water line exceeds 800 mm.
The cabin uses a 2+2+2 six-seat layout with a 46.3-inch 8K far-field display, a 15.6-inch Mini LED center touchscreen and a 17.3-inch ceiling-mounted rear screen.
The second row has twin zero-gravity seats with heating, ventilation and 16-point hot stone massage.
The vehicle measures 5,118 mm (5,185 mm optional) long, 2,050 mm wide and 1,898 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 3,040 mm.
The pre-sales event was originally scheduled for August 10, but was pushed back four days as Typhoon Dolphin approached the coast of east China.
The first production Freelander 8 rolled off the line on July 30 at the Chery Jaguar Land Rover plant in Changshu, Jiangsu province.
Freelander was originally a classic model line under Jaguar Land Rover. It was elevated on March 31 into a standalone brand focused on new energy vehicles (NEVs), with plans to roll out six models over the next five years. The joint venture has added 3 billion yuan of investment at the Changshu plant to support that shift.
The first overseas version will be a left-hand-drive Middle East model, expected to go on sale between the end of this year and early next year.
($1 = 6.7878 yuan)
