Ineos has revealed the Fusilier, the brand’s third 4×4 model and the first with a full-electric powertrain.
Slightly smaller than the Grenadier, the first Ineos model which company chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe launched to recapture the spirit of the original Land Rover Defender, the Fusilier will be available in either full battery-electric or range-extender electric format.
Unveiling the vehicle, Ratcliffe said that the two powertrain options would provide a real-world reduction in carbon emissions without compromise to the Fusilier’s off-road capability or the on-road performance. “We’re excited to bring our electric 4X4 to market but we are beginning to understand the clear limitations of battery electric in certain situations – we believe the addition of a range extender electric to our line-up will offer our customers a very low emission drive without the range anxiety drivers of electric vehicles experience today.”
The Fusilier will follow the Ineos mantra of delivering full off-road capability with no compromise to on-road performance. It will be built on a new platform completely different to the ladder frame used by the Grenadier and its pick-up sibling the Quartermaster. The new skateboard-format platform will accommodate twin motors, one on each axle.
Ineos is yet to reveal details of either the full-electric or range-extender (combining an electric motor with a small petrol engine to generate electricity for the battery) powertrain but it is understood that the BEV will have a targeted range between charges of around 250 miles.
The Fusilier has been developed with industry specialist Magna which will manufacture the vehicle at its facility in Austria – the company has already worked with Ineos on the Grenadier and the Quartermaster pick-up, and manufacturers vehicles for several OEMs including the Mercedes-Benz G-class and the Jaguar I-Pace.
A launch date for the Fusilier is yet to be confirmed, Ineos stating that this will be announced in the Autumn of 2024 alongside further details of the range-extender drivetrain. Industry sources suggest that Magna will begin production of the vehicle in early 2027.
Ineos is also actively investigating in hydrogen fuel-cell technology. A hydrogen version of the Grenadier was demonstrated at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed and according to Ineos is ready for production, but awaiting enough hydrogen refuelling infrastructure to be installed in the UK to make its sales viable.
