BYD’s Ti7 SUV under scrutiny as JLR pursues intellectual property case

Chinese automaker BYD’s offices in the Netherlands were reportedly raided in August as part of a legal dispute with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) over allegations that its Ti7 SUV infringes the British carmaker’s intellectual property rights. The case centres on claims that the Chinese manufacturer may have used technology associated with JLR’s Land Rover Defender.

According to The Guardian, court-appointed bailiffs seized digital records from BYD’s offices in Schiedam and Hoofddorp. The action was reportedly undertaken to preserve potential evidence ahead of legal proceedings in The Hague.

READ THIS: 3 car launches left in November: From a Mini EV to a ₹1.2 crore Denza

JLR, owned by India’s Tata Motors, suspects that BYD may have reverse-engineered certain technologies associated with the Defender and incorporated them into the Ti7. However, these allegations have not been established in court, and the dispute remains subject to legal proceedings.

Neither JLR nor BYD commented on the matter, according to the report.

BYD Ti7 to enter UK market

The dispute comes as BYD prepares to expand the Ti7 into the UK market, where it will compete with established premium SUV manufacturers. The vehicle, a seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV, was launched in China in September 2025 and has attracted comparisons with the Defender because of its boxy exterior and rugged styling.

BYD is scheduled to launch the Ti7 in the UK in January 2027, with a starting price of £47,995. In comparison, the seven-seat Land Rover Defender 110 starts at £68,465, giving the Chinese model a price advantage of more than £20,000.

The price gap highlights the competitive pressure facing established automakers as Chinese manufacturers expand their international presence with feature-rich vehicles at relatively lower prices.

ALSO READ: Over 1,000 km on one charge? BYD Denza Z9 GT's India debut raises a big question

JLR’s earlier legal battle

This is not the first time JLR has challenged a Chinese automaker over alleged design similarities. In 2019, the company won a case against Jiangling Motor Corporation concerning a vehicle that resembled its Range Rover Evoque.

Meanwhile, JLR has also pursued partnerships with Chinese manufacturers, including its collaboration with Chery, established in 2012.

The dispute comes amid the rapid growth of Chinese automotive brands in the UK. According to figures cited by The Guardian, Chinese-owned brands accounted for 23% of new vehicle registrations in September 2026, compared with 2.5% five years earlier.