CHENNAI: China and India have always been at odds with the recurring border disputes that has been underway for years, however the flow of technology and business has transcended boundaries.
In the latest move, Tata Group has revealed that a pact has been signed by its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and China's Chery with an intent to develop electric vehicles in China.
JLR will license the Freelander brand to Chery-JLR (CJLR).
With Chinese giants like BYD and NIO entering the Indian market, the Tata Motor group has opened the door to the Chinese market to become a pioneer in introducing its cars in China.
In 2014
Chery- Jaguar Land Rover, was a 50:50 joint venture between Jaguar Land Rover and Chery Automobile Company, for production of petrol, hybrid and electric vehicles in China. Changshu Plant was officially opened and put into production on October 21, 2014 with an annual production volume of 200,000 vehicles.
The then CEO of JLR Dr Ralf Speth had said at the time of the inauguration that the opening of the world-class facility is an important milestone for Jaguar Land Rover. Since its launch, one in five Range Rover Evoques have been sold in China. "Our decision to manufacture the Range Rover Evoque in Changshu is a result of our commitment to bringing more Chinese vehicles to Chinese customers." he added.
Changshu Plant is the first full-scale automobile manufacturing facility of Jaguar Land Rover outside the UK, and it is also the global flagship plant.
Till now CJLR has released five different models, namely Range Rover Evoque L, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Jaguar XFL, Jaguar XEL, Jaguar E-PACE. The revival of the Freelander has added yet another car in the market, this was a Land Rover vehicle which was successfully produced between 1997 and 2015. It was succeeded by the Discovery Sport in 2016.
In 2024
“Chery and JLR are forging an innovative collaboration model that epitomises our growth path for the future. The blend of Chery's advanced EV technology with the distinctive appeal of the Freelander brand will undoubtedly provide China and global consumers with a unique electric vehicle experience,” said Yin Tongyue, Chairman of Chery Group . The new Freelander would be offering a range of mainstream electric vehicles, initially sold in China through a distinct network but over time destined for global export.
Meanwhile in India, JLR has announced that it will begin production of its Range Rover brand in India. The cars were previously made in the plant in UK. Local assembling will grant the company to utilise the duty structure and to bring the price down of the two models by about 18 to 22 per cent on certain models like Range Rover 3.0-litre diesel HSE LWB at Rs 2.36 crore (down by Rs 44 lakh) while the Range Rover Sport 3.0-litre diesel Dynamic SE at Rs 1.40 crore (down by Rs 29 lakh) at pan India showroom, this is accompanied by a decrease in waiting period on these models for the Indian customers.