The Freelander 8, the tech-laden luxury SUV built by the Chery Jaguar Land Rover joint venture in China for global markets, finally has official powertrain specs for the plug-in hybrid version.
While in China the model debuted with an 818-horsepower 1.5-liter extended-range electric powertrain, the Middle East-spec Freelander 8 features a 2.0-liter turbocharged hybrid engine paired with a 34.12-kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery and dual-motor all-wheel drive.
Serious Capability Both On and Off-Road
Chery JLR
The maximum system power is 460 kilowatts (617 horsepower) while system torque is 662 Newton-meters (488 pound-feet). This enables the big plug-in hybrid SUV to cover up to 68 miles (110 kilometers) in electric-only mode and 550 miles (886 km) of combined range with a full tank and fully charged battery.
Charging the battery from 20% to 80% takes 20 minutes or less using a DC fast charging station. As for performance, the massive Freelander 8 SUV—it’s over 201 inches long and it weighs 6,570 pounds—covers the 0-62 MPH (0-100 km/h) sprint in 5.8 seconds.
Freelander
The Freelander 8’s Intelligent All-Terrain System (i-ATS) offers nine modes—including Sand Mode, Smart Mode, and Expert Mode—to best suit varying on-road and off-road conditions. There’s also a dual-chamber air suspension with continuously controlled damping that enables up to 10.5 inches (266 mm) of ground clearance.
In terms of off-road capability, the Freelander 8 is capable of negotiating an 31.5-inch (800-mm) cross-axle test, climbing gradients of up to 70% and wading through water up to to 35.4 inches (900 mm).
Freelander 8 Starts at Over $80,000 in the UAE—And It’s Coming to the UK and Europe
Chery JLR
In the Middle East, the Freelander 8 is launching with a three-row, six-seat layout where the second row includes massage functions as an option and the third row offers standard ventilation and 32.8 inches of legroom.
The cabin also features a massive 46.3-inch 8K Mini LED display across the dashboard and a 15.6-inch central screen—both powered by a Qualcomm automotive-grade SA8295P chip.
Chery JLR
The Freelander 8 offers standard L2+ driver assistance with more than 30 functions, with a valet parking system to be available in select markets. Called Super Intelligent Valet Parking (SIVP), it supports automated parking and vehicle summon in compatible parking environments, subject to system operating conditions and driver supervision.
The first international market for Freelander is the United Arab Emirates, where the vehicle debuted on September 29 at Freelander’s global brand launch in Abu Dhabi, but the brand will continue to expand in other left-hand-drive Middle Eastern and North African markets before covering right-hand-drive markets like Australia and New Zealand and finally entering the UK and European Union in a third phase.
In the UAE, the Freelander 8 is priced from AED300,000, which is around $81,700 at the current exchange rate. That’s a hefty premium over the Chinese model’s $50,000 base price, but then again, the China-built Freelander 8 is subject to a 5% customs duty and 5% VAT in the UAE, not to mention it comes fully loaded and has a different powertrain.
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