In August, Jaguar Land Rover’s bailiffs conducted a search at BYD’s Dutch headquarters in Schiedam and Hoofddorp ahead of an upcoming court hearing in The Hague, per the Sunday Times. The proceedings determine whether BYD’s Ti7 SUV violates the Defender’s intellectual property rights.
Motoring experts have likened BYD’s seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV to the Defender since it went on sale in China in September last year. The company is scheduled to launch the vehicle in the UK market in January at a price of £47,995, undercutting the Defender by more than £20,000.
According to its official site, BYD states: “an unapologetically boxy profile delivers the imposing, chunky design that finds favour among SUV buyers, yet delivers a contemporary look”. The seven-seat Defender 110 by JLR is priced from £68,465 and ranks among the country’s top-selling automobiles.
This British manufacturer, owned by Indian firm Tata Motors, delivered 29,500 Defenders to retail buyers between July and September of this year, up from 25,370 in the previous year. JLR suspects BYD reverse-engineered technology for the Ti7, and court-appointed bailiffs seized digital materials in the Netherlands.
JLR sought to preserve the digital information before it was deleted. Neither company has commented on what is termed the “ongoing legal proceedings”. However, this conflict with BYD marks an escalation, as it isn’t the initial time JLR has brought copycat complaints against a Chinese business.
In 2019, JLR emerged victorious in a three-year court battle to prevent Jiangling Motor Corporation from selling a lookalike. Conversely, the company has sometimes opted for collaboration with emerging Chinese brands, such as the joint venture established with Chery in 2012.
The Chery Jaecoo, separate from the aforementioned partnership, earned the moniker “Temu Range Rover” due to its resemblance to the JLR model. This vehicle is priced £10,000 below the standard Range Rover. In October, the Jaecoo became the top-selling auto in the UK, recording 10,813 sales.
JLR’s actions against BYD and other Chinese carmakers demonstrate the company’s efforts to protect its intellectual property. The outcome of the court case in The Hague will be closely watched, as it may have implications for the future of the automotive industry.
