Freelander 8 downgraded for Australia

Australia’s version of the new Freelander 8 will deliver 150kW less power than its Chinese-market counterpart, with a Freelander engineering spokesperson from Chery Group confirming to carsales that the locally bound SUV will use a different plug-in hybrid powertrain for export markets.

Instead of making use of China’s 610kW/813Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged range-extender hybrid with a 60kWh battery and triple locking differentials, Australians will receive a 460kW/662Nm 2.0-litre turbo plug-in hybrid with a 34kWh battery and dual lockers.

The powertrain and battery decisions are not expected to change for Australia, with a launch pencilled in for 2027, although some more minor local specifications are still being worked on ahead of the Australian release date.

In China, the Freelander 8 drives all four wheels electrically, using a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine to generate electricity for its dual motors. Its 60.3kWh battery provides a claimed 310km of electric running on China’s optimistic CLTC cycle, or about 250km on the WLTP cycle, while offering a 0-100km/h time of 4.6 seconds.

Australia’s plug-in hybrid Freelander 8 has many mechanical differences – this isn’t a detuning situation. The export-market Freelander’s petrol engine can drive the wheels directly at all speeds through a dedicated hybrid transmission (1DHT), the engineering spokesperson explained, with software controlling front-to-rear drive distribution.

The international PHEV model Australia will receive uses a 34.1kWh LFP battery and dual-motor electric all-wheel drive. It will claim 110km of electric-only range and 886km of total range – though the testing cycle is not known – with a slower 5.8-second 0-100km/h time.

Our version of the Freelander supports 11kW AC charging and DC charging of the battery from 20 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes or less – a speed of about 60kW. It’s not yet clear whether the 800-volt architecture of China’s Freelander 8 has been replaced by a 400-volt system for Australia.

The Australian Freelander’s claimed capability to drive the wheels via the engine at all speeds might be seen as a benefit in some situations.

But the Freelander spokesperson acknowledged that China’s beefier range-extender hybrid is “a little stronger” in certain off-road conditions.

At least Aussies won’t miss out on the Freelander 8’s headline chassis technologies.

Dual-chamber air suspension with continuously controlled dampers will be retained, as will a mechanical rear limited-slip differential. International specifications quote up to 70mm of lift from the air suspension, for 266mm of maximum ground clearance, a 900mm wading depth and nine all-terrain management modes.

At 5118mm long, the Chinese-built Freelander 8 is vastly larger than the original Freelander 1 and 2, though the brand is understood to be working on a range of models in different sizes.

Five- and six-seat cabin layouts exist for the 8, but Australia’s final configuration has not yet been announced.

Freelander will return to Australia as a standalone brand combining Land Rover-led styling with Chery manufacturing, with the three-row 8 as its first model globally.

A specific release month or quarter has not yet been locked down for Australia, and local pricing also remains up in the air – but the picture is becoming clearer.

The Freelander 8 is expected to be priced somewhere below Land Rover’s Defender 110, which starts at $101,000 before on-road costs, but it will be positioned above the Zeekr 7X, which starts at $57,900 plus on-road costs.

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