The first mass-production Freelander 8 vehicles for China have rolled off the assembly line at the Chery Jaguar Land Rover Changshu Manufacturing Base, a site backed by more than $3.1 billion in total investment. Freelander, the new-energy brand co-developed by Chery and Jaguar Land Rover, said production for international markets is also underway. Test vehicles have separately arrived in the Middle East for local road testing ahead of the brand’s market debut in Abu Dhabi in September.
Highlights
- More than $3.1 billion in total investment supports the Changshu base, with an additional $440 million directed at new energy intelligent manufacturing upgrades
- More than 1,100 robots operate at the upgraded facility, alongside a fully automated body shop and end-to-end digital quality traceability
- Every Freelander 8 passes battery sealing checks, ADAS calibration, and heavy-rain simulation before leaving the line
- Freelander reports over 5,000 employees across five strategic hubs, spanning design, R&D, manufacturing, and global operations
Inside the Freelander Super Factory
The Changshu base, which Freelander refers to as its Super Factory, pairs Jaguar Land Rover’s design work with Chery’s new energy vehicle (NEV) technologies. Beyond the facility’s total investment figure, the company reports a further $440 million committed specifically to new energy intelligent manufacturing upgrades, covering digital manufacturing systems, flexible production processes, and quality management capabilities aimed at next-generation NEV output.
The upgraded plant runs more than 1,100 robots and a fully automated body shop, supported by digital quality traceability across the production process. Freelander says the site also uses water recycling and low-carbon production technologies.
What Validation Does Each Freelander 8 Undergo?
According to the company, every vehicle completes a set of validation checks before leaving the production line. Those include battery sealing verification, ADAS calibration, and heavy-rain simulation testing. The release does not specify test durations, pass criteria, or which supplier systems are covered by the ADAS calibration step.
Middle East Road Testing Precedes Abu Dhabi Debut
Test vehicles now in the Middle East are running validation across desert, coastal, and urban environments. Freelander says the program targets vehicle performance, thermal management, and all-terrain capability under demanding conditions, with results feeding into final preparations for customer deliveries and the Abu Dhabi launch.
The UAE is the brand’s first international launch market and, in the company’s framing, a gateway for subsequent growth. Chery Group’s broader Middle East push has followed a similar pattern across its other new-energy nameplates, including recent LEPAS shipments to the region.
Brand Positioning
Yin Tongyue, chairman of Chery Group, spoke at the roll-off ceremony about the role of international markets in Freelander’s growth plans. The event also included a factory tour for representatives from Middle Eastern media outlets ahead of the regional debut.
Freelander describes the Freelander 8 as built on three product pillars it calls British Craftsmanship, Smart Confidence, and All-Terrain Freedom. The brand launched globally earlier this year with the Concept 97 show car, which previewed the production model. The company states the brand is supported by more than 5,000 employees across five strategic hubs covering design, R&D, manufacturing, and global operations.
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