Freelander 8 Enters Guinness World Records: Which Figure Did It Smash?

The Freelander 8, the extended-range SUV from the Chery–Jaguar Land Rover venture, has been certified by Guinness World Records after reaching 6,002.33 meters in China's Shitsang region — the highest altitude ever achieved by a hybrid vehicle. The climb was carried out in August, with the record confirmed in September shortly after the model went on sale in China; the UAE is set to become its first market outside China.

The run topped the previous mark of 5,980.05 meters, set by the Fang Cheng Bao Bao 5 in July 2024, by 22.28 meters. The route spanned roughly 1,480 meters with 200 meters of vertical gain across unpaved gravel and rock, where air pressure drops to about 47.2 kPa and oxygen falls below half its sea-level level.

Power comes from an EREV drivetrain in which a 1.5-liter turbo four acts as a generator, feeding two electric motors with a combined 610 kW (818 hp) — 483 hp at the front and 335 hp at the rear. A two-speed rear gearbox multiplies torque 1.5:1 in first gear, putting an equivalent 8,000 Nm at the wheels. Chery JLR says the engine retained about 80% of its rated output during the ascent and that the SUV finished without chassis damage, though no post-climb inspection data or tire details were published.

Elsewhere, the vehicle pairs a 60.33-kWh CATL Freevoy NMC battery with 800-volt electrics, offers Huawei Qiankun ADS 5 assistance with a roof-mounted LiDAR (Level 2), and rides on air suspension with CDC dampers. The 5,118-mm-long unibody SUV, on a 3,040-mm wheelbase, is built in Changshu, Jiangsu, with launch prices of 289,900–379,900 yuan (roughly AED 150,600–197,200).