Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has taken Chinese automaker BYD to court, alleging it used Defender technology in the BYD Ti7. The automaker claimed that BYD dismantled a Land Rover Defender to reverse-engineer its technology for use in the BYD Ti7, a seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV. The case is now before a court in The Hague, where a preliminary ruling is expected on November 11 to determine whether BYD has a case to answer on the alleged intellectual property infringement.
Court-ordered bailiffs raided BYD's offices in Schiedam and Hoofddorp in the Netherlands in August and seized digital records. JLR sought to secure the records before they could potentially be destroyed.
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BYD's Response
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. Neither JLR nor BYD has commented publicly on the ongoing proceedings.
BYD Ti7: Defender Lookalike?
The BYD Ti7 entered the Chinese market in September 2025 under the Fang Cheng Bao brand as Bao 7, later Tai 7. Its design features a boxy body, upright front end, squared wheel arches, and a rear-mounted storage compartment, features that have frequently drawn comparisons with the Land Rover Defender.
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In China, the Ti7 measures 4,999 mm long, 1,995 mm wide, and 1,865 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,920 mm. The Chinese version has five seats, while the European export version has seven. BYD quotes a length of 5,146 mm for the UK model, including its rear-mounted spare wheel.
What's At Stake
The Ti7 is scheduled to go on sale in the UK in January, with prices less than the seven-seat Defender 110. JLR's legal claim centres on the alleged reverse-engineering of technology, not solely on exterior design similarities. The company reportedly suspects use of its technological elements for use in the Ti7.
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JLR's Earlier Case
This is not the first time JLR has pursued legal action against a Chinese automaker. The company won a case against Jiangling Motor Corporation in 2019 over alleged copying of the Range Rover Evoque.
For BYD, the case is a major test of its global expansion plans. For JLR, it's a fight to protect one of its most iconic nameplates. The outcome of the preliminary ruling on November 11 will determine whether the case proceeds further.
