KATHMANDU: Chery-JLR’s Freelander 8 has set a Guinness World Record after climbing to an altitude of 6,002.33 meters in Tibet, China, highlighting the capability of its extended-range electric powertrain in extreme conditions.
The Freelander 8 completed the climb on August 22, covering around 1,480 meters of trail with a 200-meter vertical rise across loose scree and unpaved shale. The achievement was officially announced during the SUV’s China launch on September 3.
The climb surpassed the previous hybrid altitude record of 5,980.05 meters, set by BYD’s Fang Cheng Bao Bao 5 in July 2024, by 22.28 meters.
At 6,000 meters, the thin air significantly reduces oxygen availability. Chery-JLR said the Freelander 8’s 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder range extender retained around 80 percent of its rated generating capacity during the climb.
The SUV uses a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system producing a combined 610 kW, or around 818 horsepower. The front motor produces 360 kW, while the rear motor delivers 250 kW. The rear drive unit is paired with a two-speed gearbox.
In its lower gear, the system provides a 1.5:1 torque multiplication ratio, delivering up to an equivalent 8,000 Nm of wheel-end torque. This helps the SUV generate high wheel torque at low speeds while reducing the demand on the electric motors during steep climbs.
Unlike the previous record-setting Fang Cheng Bao Bao 5, which uses a body-on-frame chassis, the Freelander 8 is a unibody SUV. It measures 5,118 mm in length with a 3,040 mm wheelbase and comes with air suspension and continuously variable damping control.
Chery-JLR said the SUV completed the climb without structural chassis damage. However, the company has not disclosed detailed post-climb inspection results or the tires used during the record attempt.
The Freelander 8 is built at Chery-JLR’s Changshu plant in Jiangsu, China. It is priced from around USD 41,000 to USD 53,700.
The SUV is equipped with a 60.33 kWh CATL Freevoy NMC battery and an 800V electrical architecture. It also features Huawei’s Qiankun ADS 5 driver-assistance system with roof-mounted LiDAR and Level 2 driving assistance.
The record demonstrates the Freelander 8’s ability to operate in thin air and challenging terrain, combining its turbocharged range extender, dual-motor AWD system and two-speed rear drive.
