• The Freelander 8 starts at 289,900 yuan ($42,750) after incentives and has a CLTC battery-only range of 310 km.
• All versions come standard with dual-motor all-wheel drive, an 800-volt platform and Huawei's Qiankun ADS 5 driver-assistance system.

The Freelander 8, jointly developed by Chery (HKEX: 9973) and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), was officially launched on Thursday, entering China's fiercely competitive luxury extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) SUV market.

It is the first model from the revived Freelander brand. The vehicle offers five-seat and 2+2+2 six-seat layouts, with Pro, Max and Max+ versions priced from 289,900 yuan ($42,750) to 379,900 yuan after incentives.

Official list prices range from 309,900 yuan to 399,900 yuan, with each version priced 20,000 yuan lower after incentives. Six-seat models cost 10,000 yuan more than five-seat models in the same trim.

The entry price after incentives is 40,000 yuan below the after-incentive pre-sales price of 329,900 yuan announced on August 21. Such pricing is common among automakers in China, intended to make final pricing appear better than expected.

The first edition, limited to 1,000 units, sold out before the launch. It has a list price of 459,900 yuan and a firm-order price of 449,900 yuan after incentives.

The Freelander 8 measures 5,118 millimeters in length, increasing to 5,185 millimeters with certain exterior packages. It is 2,050 millimeters wide and 1,898 millimeters tall, with a wheelbase of 3,040 millimeters.

All versions feature a 115-kW 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder range extender and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system comprising a 360-kW front motor and a 250-kW two-speed rear motor.

The system delivers a combined 610 kW (818 hp) and 813 Nm of peak torque. It can accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 4.6 seconds and has a top speed of 220 kilometers per hour.

A 60.3-kWh ternary lithium battery supplied by CATL (HKEX: 3750) comes standard, providing a CLTC battery-only range of 310 kilometers.

The vehicle uses an 800-volt 6C high-voltage EREV platform across the lineup, allowing the battery to charge from 20% to 80% in as little as 12 minutes.

The chassis comes standard with front double-wishbone and rear H-arm multi-link independent suspension, as well as closed dual-chamber air suspension and CCD continuously variable dampers.

All versions also feature ±10-degree rear-wheel steering, giving the vehicle a minimum turning radius of 5.15 meters. Maximum ground clearance is 270 millimeters, while maximum wading depth is 900 millimeters.

The Max and Max+ versions feature a front mechanical differential lock and a rear electronic limited-slip differential. The Pro version uses a digital virtual center lock to enhance off-road capability.

For driver assistance, all Freelander 8 versions feature Huawei's Qiankun ADS 5, although the hardware and functions vary by trim.

The Pro and Max versions come standard with ADS 5 Enhanced and a shared-optical-path in-cabin LiDAR. The Max+ comes standard with ADS 5 Ultra, an 896-channel dual-optical-path imaging-grade LiDAR and a high-precision solid-state LiDAR.

The Max can be upgraded to ADS 5 Ultra for an additional 20,000 yuan, while the first edition includes the system as standard.

All versions feature Qualcomm's automotive-grade Snapdragon 8397 chip, a 46.3-inch 8K panoramic far-view display and a 15.6-inch center display. The Max and Max+ also come standard with a 17.3-inch ceiling-mounted rear display, which is optional on the Pro.

Freelander was previously a JLR model line. It was upgraded on March 31 into a standalone brand focused on new energy vehicles (NEVs) and plans to launch 6 models over the next 5 years.

The Freelander 8 will also target global markets. Its first overseas version will be a left-hand-drive model for the Middle East, expected to launch between the end of this year and early next year.

($1 = 6.7807 yuan)