JLR has initiated legal action against BYD, alleging that the BYD Ti7 model infringes on design rights related to the Land Rover Defender. The dispute centers on suspicions that BYD used reverse engineering to replicate Defender technologies. JLR previously won a similar copyright case against Jiangling Motor in 2019.
In August, a Dutch court authorized the seizure of digital documents from BYD offices in Schiedam and Hoofddorp. However, on 11 November, a court in The Hague ruled the seizure unnecessary and ordered the destruction of the data. JLR faces a fine of €50,000 per hour, up to a maximum of €500,000, if it fails to comply.
The court determined that the evidence was not required to prove design right violations, noting that the Ti7 is not yet sold in the EU. JLR must reimburse BYD for legal costs totaling €25,376.57. The court has not yet ruled on the core allegations of design copying, which remain the subject of separate ongoing proceedings in The Hague and Rotterdam.
The BYD Ti7, sold under the Fang Cheng Bao brand in China since September 2025, is scheduled for a UK release in January 2027. The plug-in hybrid model features a 300 kW system output and a 35.6-kWh battery with a 119-kilometre WLTP range. Its starting price is £47,995, compared to the £68,465 starting price for a seven-seat Land Rover Defender 110.
