Land Rover Is Suing BYD Over Suspected Defender Copying

Chinese carmaker BYD faces accusations from Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) of copying the Defender model.

The British company suspects that BYD disassembled their SUV to use the technology to develop its own Ti7 SUV. Because of this dispute, bailiffs searched BYD’s premises in the Netherlands in August and seized digital documentation, Index reports.

By doing so, JLR wanted to secure digital evidence before it could potentially be destroyed. BYD’s legal team described the move as an attempt to seek evidence without a solid foundation and complained that too many files had been seized. On the other hand, JLR’s legal representatives accused the Chinese company of obstructing the proceedings.

The dispute now moves to the court in The Hague, and a preliminary ruling on whether there are grounds for an intellectual property infringement claim is expected on November 11. None of the companies have commented on the case so far.

The dispute is about the BYD Ti7 model, which is a large SUV that has been sold in China since September last year under the name Fangchengbao Ti7. Its blocky design has prompted numerous comparisons with the Land Rover Defender. Although there are similarities, the court has yet to decide whether it is a direct copy. British media say that JLR’s lawsuit is not only about looks, but primarily about suspicion of reverse engineering and copying of technology.

The Ti7 model should arrive in the UK market in January with a starting price of £47,995 (€57,500). That’s almost £20,000 (€24,000) less than the seven-seat Defender 110, which starts at £68,465 (€82,000). Although they are vehicles with different powertrains and constructions, BYD offers an alternative of similar dimensions for a significantly lower amount.

This is not the first time that JLR has sued a Chinese manufacturer. In 2019, the company won a three-year legal battle against Jiangling Motor Corporation, whose Landwind X7 model was an almost identical copy of the Range Rover Evoque.

However, JLR’s relations with the Chinese auto industry are not always conflictual. The British manufacturer closely cooperates with local companies, and the most famous is the long-term partnership with Chery. That collaboration recently resulted in the decision to relaunch the Freelander name, which will be used for the new line of SUVs

For JLR, the Defender is more than an SUV; it is one of the company’s most important models and a key part of its business. It remains to be seen whether the court will conclude that BYD violated intellectual property rights with the Ti7 model. This case confirms that JLR is ready to actively defend its products against Chinese competitors who are increasingly aggressive in the market.

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