Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has reportedly raided BYD’s offices in the Netherlands and seized digital records ahead of a court hearing over allegations that the Chinese automaker’s Ti7 SUV copies elements of the Land Rover Defender.
According to The Times, court bailiffs acting on behalf of JLR collected documents and electronic records before a preliminary ruling scheduled for Wednesday. The hearing will consider whether the BYD Ti7 infringes on the intellectual property rights associated with the Defender.
JLR reportedly suspects that BYD used elements of the British SUV to reverse engineer certain technologies. BYD has said it fully cooperated with JLR’s requests before the raid.
BYD’s legal team reportedly described the action as a “fishing expedition”, arguing that too many files had been seized. JLR declined to comment, while BYD said it could not discuss the matter because of the ongoing legal proceedings.
BYD Ti7 Enters UK Market
The dispute follows BYD’s introduction of the Ti7 in Europe and the UK in late July. Its boxy exterior and rugged styling have drawn comparisons with the Defender.
The seven-seat SUV is offered in the UK in the Excellence AWD flagship trim, with prices starting at £47,995. This is more than £20,000 below the starting price of the plug-in hybrid Land Rover Defender 110, listed at £71,840.
BYD describes the Ti7 as having an “unapologetically boxy profile”, combining a rugged appearance with a contemporary design. The company has also positioned it as a competitor in the premium SUV segment.
Plug-in Hybrid Powertrain and Electric Range
The Ti7 is the first BYD model in the UK to use the company’s DM-p (Dual Mode performance) powertrain. The system combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with three electric motors and a 35.6 kWh Blade Battery.
The combined output reaches 402 hp (408 PS), allowing the SUV to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds.
BYD claims an electric-only WLTP range of up to 74 miles, increasing to 102 miles in urban driving. The company also highlights the vehicle’s seven-seat configuration and equipment package as features tailored to UK and European customers.
The preliminary court ruling is expected to provide further clarity on JLR’s intellectual property claims and whether the dispute will proceed to additional legal proceedings.