Chery and Jaguar Land Rover's joint venture brand Freelander will officially launch its first model, the Freelander 8, at a global launch event in Beijing on September 3. The luxury extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) starts at 329,900 yuan ($48,650) after incentives, with full official pricing to be announced at the launch event. The Freelander 8 secured over 10,000 pre-orders within 48 hours of pre-sales opening on August 14, signaling strong market demand for luxury extended-range SUVs in China. The vehicle features Huawei's Qiankun ADS 5 advanced driver assistance system and is among the world's first vehicles to deploy Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8397 automotive chip, delivering 3 times better CPU and GPU performance and 12 times greater AI computing power than the previous 8295 platform. The Freelander 8 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and incorporates cutting-edge battery and rapid charging technologies for practical long-distance capability.
Key Highlights
💰 Pricing and Variants: Pro trim starts at 329,900 yuan after incentives, Max at 359,900 yuan, and Max+ at 409,900 yuan. Original pre-sales price before incentives was 339,900 yuan.
💱 Approximate Conversions: 🇸🇦 ≈ 182,000 SAR · 🇦🇪 ≈ 178,500 AED · 🇶🇦 ≈ 177,000 QAR · 🇰🇼 ≈ 14,900 KWD · 🇴🇲 ≈ 18,700 OMR · 💵 48,650$
🔋 Battery and Range: 60.3-kWh ternary lithium battery from CATL delivers 310 km CLTC battery-only range, allowing extended trips on electric power alone.
⚡ Charging and Electrical System: 800-volt 6C high-voltage platform supports charging from 20% to 80% in just 12 minutes. Powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder range extender and dual-motor all-wheel-drive system.
🏁 Performance and Power: Combined output of 610 kW (818 hp) with peak torque of 813 Nm. Zero to 100 km/h acceleration achieved in 4.6 seconds.
🛡️ Driving and Safety Technologies: Huawei Qiankun ADS 5 advanced autonomous driving suite, paired with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8397 processor featuring 3× CPU/GPU performance gains and 12× AI NPU computing power improvement over the 8295 generation.
🎯 Design and Dimensions: Overall length 5,118 mm (extends to 5,185 mm with optional equipment), 3,040 mm wheelbase. Available in 5-seat or 2+2+2 6-seat layouts. Features 15.6-inch Mini LED center screen and 17.3-inch ceiling-mounted rear display, with second-row zero-gravity seats.
🏭 Production and Capacity: First completed Freelander 8 rolled off the assembly line at the Changshu plant in Jiangsu province on July 30. First overseas left-hand-drive version targeting Middle East markets expected between year-end and early next year.
📅 Official Launch Date: Global launch event set for September 3 in Beijing.
📊 Early Demand: Pre-orders exceeded 10,000 units within 48 hours of launch on August 14. Freelander brand plans to introduce 6 models over the next five years.
