Chinese carmaker BYD’s offices in Netherlands raided over JLR ‘copycat car’ claim
Bailiffs acting for Jaguar Land Rover raided the Dutch offices of Chinese carmaker BYD over allegations its Ti7 SUV infringes intellectual property rights of the Defender.
The raid took place in August in Schiedam and Hoofddorp, with bailiffs seizing digital records before a court case in The Hague this week. BYD's seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV, which the BBC's Top Gear magazine called the 'Chinese Defender clone,' is set to launch in the UK market in January at £47,995, significantly undercutting JLR's Defender which starts from £68,465.
Legal Action
JLR suspects BYD reverse-engineered technology used in the Ti7 and wanted to secure the digital records before they could be destroyed. Both companies declined to comment on the 'ongoing legal proceedings'.
an unapologetically boxy profile delivers the imposing, chunky design that finds favour among SUV buyers, yet delivers a contemporary look
Market Impact
The Defender remains one of Britain's bestselling cars, with JLR selling 29,500 units to retail customers between July and September this year, up from 25,370 a year earlier. However, JLR faces increasing competition from Chinese manufacturers.
This isn't JLR's first legal battle with a Chinese company over copycat allegations. The British carmaker successfully stopped Jiangling Motor from selling a copycat vehicle in 2019 after a three-year court battle. JLR has also taken collaborative approaches, forming a joint venture with Chery in 2012.
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