Freelander 8 range-extender not ruled out for Australia as export plug-in hybrid detailed

Range-extender still on the table for Australia

Freelander has not ruled out offering a range-extender version of the Freelander 8 in Australia, with the brand's local model lineup still to be finalised. Speaking to CarExpert in China, Kym Mellow, the brand's head of Australia and New Zealand, was asked why Australia was not receiving the range-extender and said: "We haven't committed on the model range yet for Australia." Asked about the international model's 2.0-litre plug-in hybrid system, he said: "That is definitely the one confirmed." ¹

Mellow did not confirm an Australian launch for the range-extender or give an arrival date. The international plug-in hybrid differs from the Chinese-market extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) previously covered by CarExpert, meaning the two powertrains are distinct offerings rather than specifications of the same variant. Australian pricing, warranty coverage and the final model lineup all remain unannounced. ¹

Export plug-in hybrid: outputs, battery and charging

The international Freelander 8 plug-in hybrid combines a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine developed for hybrid applications with electric motors on both axles providing all-wheel drive. Chery R&D Centre chief engineer Antonio Maresca quoted peak combined output of 460kW and 662Nm, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 5.8 seconds, at a presentation to international media and partners in China, as reported by CarExpert and syndicated to 7NEWS. The engine is claimed to achieve 45.95 per cent thermal efficiency with a 14:1 compression ratio, though New Zealand's AutoTrader put the figure at 46 per cent from the same presentation. ²³⁶

A 34.12kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery provides a claimed electric-only range of at least 110km on the WLTC test cycle, with combined petrol and electric range quoted at least 886km on the same cycle. AC charging runs at up to 11kW, and DC fast charging from 20 to 80 per cent takes 20 minutes or less. Freelander has not disclosed a peak DC charging rate for the plug-in hybrid. The brand says the LFP chemistry was chosen for thermal stability and durability. ²³⁶

Both CarExpert and 7NEWS note the powertrain and battery figures presented at the event apply to the left-hand-drive, Middle East-market version, with Australian specification still to be confirmed. AutoTrader adds that Maresca said the international figures apply to the left-hand-drive model, and that specifications vary by market. ²³

How the Chinese EREV differs

The Chinese-market Freelander 8, which opened for orders in August, uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine solely as a generator feeding a 60.3kWh battery, with dual electric motors driving the wheels. CarExpert reports the Chinese EREV motors produce a combined 610kW and 813Nm with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.6 seconds, and 310km of electric range under China's CLTC cycle, charging from 20 to 80 per cent in a claimed 12 minutes. AutoTrader matches these figures and identifies the battery as CATL-supplied ternary lithium, while CarExpert's earlier report on the launch described it as a 60kWh nickel manganese cobalt unit. ¹³⁵

The EREV's battery is CATL's Freevoy pack, which is 6C-capable and supports peak DC fast-charging at up to 360kW on the 800V electrical architecture, according to CarExpert's report on the Freelander 8's reveal at the Beijing motor show. Note that a shared platform does not establish identical batteries, charging hardware or capability across variants or markets; the export plug-in hybrid's charging rate has not been disclosed. ⁴⁷

Rollout phases and Australian timing

Freelander International CEO Lucia Mao outlined a rollout beginning with the United Arab Emirates and other Middle Eastern and left-hand-drive markets, followed by right-hand-drive markets prioritising Australia and New Zealand, with continental Europe, then the UK and Ireland forming later stages, as reported by 7NEWS. AutoTrader adds that deliveries in the UAE start in the first quarter of 2027, and that the Australian rollout slide did not specify a launch quarter. Freelander says specifications and pricing for each market will be released closer to launch. ²³

Mellow reaffirmed to CarExpert that the Freelander 8 will arrive in Australia sometime in the second half of 2027, but did not give a month. The brand has previously confirmed a 2027 Australian launch, first announced at the Freelander 8's international launch event in the UAE. Mellow, previously a senior executive at Mazda and importer Inchcape, was appointed to lead the brand locally. ¹⁵

The Freelander 8 is built at the Chery Jaguar Land Rover plant in Changshu, China, where the first production car came off the line on 30 July, according to AutoTrader. The joint venture was established in 2012, and the plant previously built Jaguar vehicles for the Chinese market. Freelander plans six SUVs over five years, with the 8 the first model. ³²⁷

Off-road hardware, dimensions and cabin equipment

The export Freelander 8 measures 5118mm long, 2050mm wide and 1926mm tall on a 3040mm wheelbase, with five- and six-seat configurations planned. Off-road hardware includes dual-chamber air suspension with continuously controlled damping, a virtual centre differential lock and an electronic rear limited-slip differential. Freelander quotes up to 266mm of ground clearance, 900mm wading depth with the engine air intake at 1213mm, a 35-degree maximum climb, 800mm cross-axle articulation, and a nine-mode terrain system. Radar-based water-depth measurement displays depth on the central screen. ²³⁶

Cabin highlights include a 46.3-inch 8K mini-LED display spanning the base of the windscreen, a 15.6-inch central touchscreen, an optional 17.3-inch ceiling-mounted rear screen, a Harman Kardon system with up to 23 speakers and 2620W output, a temperature-holding 10-litre refrigerator, and zero-gravity second-row seats with 10-point massage. More than 30 driver assistance functions are offered with Level 2+ capability. Australian availability of the driver assistance and parking features, along with final equipment lists for each variant, remains to be confirmed, according to 7NEWS. ²³

Freelander's development program involved more than 1000 test vehicles run in Northern Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, covering more than 50 road types, with more than 200 vehicles used for all-terrain durability testing over 2.15 million km, per AutoTrader's reporting of the brand's presentation. Maresca, who previously worked at Land Rover and BMW including on the original Freelander, says the SUV was validated to the same standard as the most expensive vehicles he has worked on. CarExpert has separately reported that Australian roads form part of the global testing program. ³²⁷