Freelander 8 Sets Guinness World Record with 6,002-Meter Climb in Tibet

Chery Jaguar Land Rover reports that its Freelander 8, a unibody SUV with a range-extender powertrain, reached 6,002.33 meters above sea level in Tibet on August 22. Guinness World Records certified the feat as the highest altitude ever achieved by a hybrid vehicle, and the company publicized it at the model's launch event in China on September 3.

The climb beat the previous mark of 5,980.05 meters, set by the BYD Fang Cheng Bao Bao 5 in July 2024, by 22.28 meters. The roughly 1,480-meter route gained about 200 meters in elevation over unpaved gravel, loose rock, and shale.

Conditions at that height are brutal for a vehicle that still relies on a combustion engine: atmospheric pressure drops to about 47.2 kPa, giving the engine less than half the oxygen available at sea level. Chery-JLR says the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder serving as the onboard generator still produced roughly 80% of its rated output, with the turbocharger raising the pressure ratio to compensate for the thin air. Propulsion comes from two electric motors totaling 818 hp (483 front, 335 rear), and the rear motor's two-speed gearbox multiplies torque by up to 1.5 times in first gear, effectively acting as a low-range for the steep, slow ascent.

According to the company, the SUV finished the route without structural chassis damage. However, no detailed post-run inspection data or tire specifications were released, so the record confirms the altitude achievement rather than long-term durability in such environments.