UK’s Jaguar Land Rover and China’s Chery have proposed a new licensing agreement for their existing joint venture in China focused on electric vehicles, Kallanish reports.

The companies inked a letter of intent to strengthen their CJLR joint venture’s product offer. The collaboration will pivot to produce an advanced portfolio of EVs based on Chery’s EV architecture, exclusively under the Freelander name, JLR says in a statement.

The Freelander brand was a Land Rover vehicle which was produced between 1997 and 2015. It was succeeded by the Discovery Sport in 2016.

Now, the plan is to produce the model in a range of EVs initially sold in China through a “distinct” network. However, the vehicles are to be exported in future. Production will take place at CJLR’s existing plant in Changshu, though production volumes have not been disclosed.

“We believe that working together to develop new models of collaboration for the world’s largest and fastest growing electric vehicle market, combined with the appeal of the Freelander brand, promises a very exciting future for CJLR,” comments Adrian Mardell, JLR’s chief executive officer.

Yin Tongyue, Chery chairman, adds the “innovative collaboration model” epitomises the companies’ growth path for the future. The “reborn” Freelander brand will provide China and global consumers with a “unique” electric vehicle experience,” he says, without elaborating.

The 50-50 joint venture, established in 2012, as China’s first Sino-British premium automotive joint venture. The Changshu plant was put into production in 2014 with a capacity to produce 200,000 cars/year.

At present, the JLR group only has one all-electric model in its portfolio – the Jaguar I-PACE.