Jaguar Land Rover Raids BYD Offices Over SUV Design

Jaguar Land Rover ordered raids on the offices of Chinese automaker BYD in Schiedam and Hoofddorp, Netherlands, to seize digital records. The action is part of a legal battle in The Hague to determine if BYD's Ti7 SUV infringes on the intellectual property of the Land Rover Defender.

JLR suspects BYD reverse-engineered technology to create the Ti7, which motoring experts and Top Gear have described as a clone of the Defender. BYD has marketed the vehicle as having an "unapologetically boxy profile" to appeal to SUV buyers. The Ti7 is scheduled for a United Kingdom launch in January with a price point significantly lower than the Defender.

Both companies have declined to comment on the proceedings. This dispute follows a history of JLR pursuing Chinese firms over copycat claims, including a successful 2019 case against Jiangling Motor Corporation, though JLR continues to maintain collaborative ventures with other Chinese firms such as Chery.