JLR Takes BYD to Court Over Alleged Defender Technology Theft

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has launched legal action against Chinese automaker BYD, alleging that the company dismantled a Land Rover Defender to reverse-engineer its technology for use in the BYD Ti7, a seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV, Motor1.com reports.

According to Motor1.com, which cites The Times and The Guardian, court-ordered bailiffs raided BYD's offices in Schiedam and Hoofddorp in the Netherlands in August, seizing digital records. JLR sought to secure the records before they could potentially be destroyed.

BYD's legal team characterised the action as a "fishing expedition," arguing that an excessive number of files had been taken, while JLR's legal advisers accused BYD of obstructing the process.

The case is now before a court in The Hague, where a preliminary ruling is expected on 11 November to determine whether BYD has a case to answer on the alleged intellectual property infringement.

Motor1.com notes that the Ti7 has been on sale in China since September 2025 under the name Fangchengbao Ti7, and that JLR's legal claim centres on the alleged reverse-engineering of technology, not solely on exterior design similarities.

The Ti7 is scheduled to go on sale in the UK in January, priced from £47,995 — approximately £20,000 less than the seven-seat Defender 110, which starts at £68,465.

Motor1.com also reports that this is not the first time JLR has pursued legal action against a Chinese automaker, having won a case against Jiangling Motor Corporation in 2019 over alleged copying of the Range Rover Evoque.

Both JLR and BYD have declined to comment on the ongoing proceedings.