Ineos launched the Grenadier off-roader to much fanfare in 2022, taking design cues and lessons learned from the Land Rover Defender to offer a rugged 4×4 with modern technology.
While the Grenadier has been a success, Ineos indefinitely delayed plans to add a second model to its range – the electric Fusilier – in July 2024, citing “reluctant consumer uptake of EVs, and industry uncertainty around tariffs, timings and taxation”.
This fuelled speculation about what the company would do next, and, for a period, placed its future in doubt due to a long-running stoppage of production of the Grenadier, due to seat supplier Recaro entering administration.
Grenadier production has since resumed and now it appears Ineos is closer to launching the Fusilier, with its CEO Lynn Calder telling the UK’s Autocar magazine it’ll “probably [launch] by 2028” as a range-extender, rather than an EV.
However, the Fusilier might not be of Ineos’ own creation, with Calder admitting Ineos is looking to work with other brands for its future products.
“We’re not building any other cars from the ground up, like we have with the Grenadier,” Calder told Autocar.
“Now for us, it is about technology sharing, and once we have got that set, we will be able to bring more models to market in shorter order.
“We don’t plan to change the wheelbase of the Grenadier or do a huge amount more work on the Grenadier platform. So you won’t see a short-wheelbase Grenadier, but you will see a smaller 4×4.”
Ineos could lean on Chinese giant for help with its next 4×4
While Ineos has yet to confirm who it’ll partner with, Autocar last year reported Chery’s iCar (or iCaur) brand, which sits as its more adventure-focused offering, could give its electric and range-extender vehicle platform to Ineos to underpin the Fusilier.
At the time, Autocar reported Ineos would reportedly use the iCar V27 as the base of its Fusilier.
The all-wheel drive range-extender V27 is powered by dual electric motors capable of producing up to 335kW, fed by a 22kWh or 33kWh battery which is charged by a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine.
According to Calder, making the Fusilier a range-extender makes more sense for its customer base than producing an EV.
“It’s technology that will get us the regulatory benefit but without the inconvenience to our customers, so we can still sell the cars that they actually want to buy,” said Calder.
It’s worth noting that Chery is already partnered with Jaguar Land Rover in China, and is soon going to revive the Freelander name as one of its many sub-brands, producing an SUV.
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