Jaguar Land Rover has accused BYD of using technology from the Land Rover Defender in the development of its seven-seat Ti7 SUV. The dispute has now reached court after bailiffs seized digital records from the Chinese company's offices in Schiedam and Hoofddorp, the Netherlands, in August. JLR suspects that a Defender was dismantled so that its technology could be studied and potentially used in the creation of the BYD Ti7. The model is a seven-seat SUV with plug-in hybrid powertrain and has been sold in China since September 2025 as the Fangchengbao Ti7. Its shape has prompted comparisons with the British off-roader, but the main focus of JLR's claims is not solely the exterior design, but the alleged study of technological solutions.
Jaguar Land Rover requested that the digital records be secured before they could potentially be destroyed. BYD's legal team, however, described the actions as a “fishing expedition” and objected that too many files had been seized. JLR's lawyers, for their part, accused the Chinese company of attempting to obstruct the proceedings.
A Jaguar Land Rover spokesperson said: “JLR does not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.” BYD has also declined to comment on the case. This means that the allegations concerning the use of Defender technology have not yet been established as proven fact.
A preliminary ruling on the dispute is expected at The Hague court on November 11. It should indicate whether there are grounds for proceedings against BYD to continue over an alleged infringement of intellectual property rights. The BYD Ti7 is due to enter the British market in January, with prices starting at £47,995. The seven-seat Land Rover Defender 110 starts at £68,465. The two vehicles have different powertrain systems and design solutions, although they are similar in size and intended use.
This is not the first dispute involving JLR and a Chinese manufacturer over alleged copying. In 2019, the British company won a case against Jiangling Motor Corporation following a three-year legal dispute involving a vehicle alleged to copy the Range Rover Evoque. The case involving BYD will show whether the court accepts that the Ti7 involves the unlawful use of intellectual property or is an independently developed model.