BYD Subjected to Dutch Raid Over Potential Land Rover Defender Infringement

Bailiffs acting on behalf of Jaguar Land Rover conducted a raid at the Dutch offices of a Chinese “copycat” competitor ahead of a legal battle this week concerning alleged intellectual property infringement related to the brand’s Defender clone.

Court‑ordered bailiffs seized digital records from BYD’s facilities in Schiedam and Hoofddorp, Netherlands, in August, per reporting by the Sunday Times.

The operation was carried out prior to a court hearing in The Hague, where a dispute over whether BYD’s Ti7 SUV infringes the intellectual property rights of the Land Rover Defender is set to proceed.

Experts have compared the BYD Ti7 seven‑seat plug‑in hybrid SUV to the Land Rover Defender following its Chinese launch earlier this year. The model is slated for a January 2024 introduction to the UK market, priced at £47,995—a premium of over £20,000 fewer than the official Defender.

On its website, BYD describes the Ti7 as featuring an unapologetically boxy silhouette that offers a bold, chunky aesthetic favored by SUV enthusiasts while maintaining a modern appearance.

The price of JLR’s seven‑seat Defender 110 starts from £68,465 and is one of the country’s best‑selling cars. Tata Motors, the UK‑based owner of JLR, recorded sales of 29,500 units last year, up from 25,370 a year earlier.

The Dutch operation was carried out under court directives, as JLR suspected reverse‑engineering of BYD’s technology that could be applied to the Ti7, with the Sunday Times reporting a push to safeguard digital records before they were erased.

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

This dispute follows prior litigation, including a 2019 victory against Jiangling Motor Corporation over alleged copycat sales.