A Chinese SUV named the Jaecoo 7 has surpassed the sales of the comparable Land Rover Range Rover Evoque in the UK market after just over a year, earning it the nickname "the Temu version of Land Rover." This moniker pays homage to the online discount retailer Temu, despite the retailer not currently selling the vehicle.
The strong resemblance between Jaecoo and Land Rover is not coincidental. Its manufacturer, Chery Automobile, is Land Rover's Chinese joint venture partner. Since 2012, their joint venture has been producing SUV models in Changshu, Jiangsu province. Two years ago, Land Rover revived the discontinued Freelander brand for an electric vehicle project in China, where Land Rover contributed the brand and design while Chery was responsible for developing the EV platform. Land Rover declined to comment but has previously stated that its target customer base differs from Jaecoo's, leaning more toward higher-income consumers.
In recent years, Chinese automotive brands have been steadily expanding into Europe. In May of this year, Chinese brands accounted for over one-tenth of new car sales in Europe for the first time. Some Chinese companies have begun leasing idle factories from their European counterparts, while many European plants with low capacity utilization are keen to collaborate with Chinese automakers.
Ben Nelmes, CEO of the research firm New AutoMotive CIC, commented, "Traditional automakers have realized they must work with these new brands because they are pioneering more efficient production methods."
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