INEOS Automotive, the manufacturer behind the well-received Grenadier off-roader, has unveiled its new 4X4 vehicle, the Fusilier.
The new vehicle, developed in conjunction with Austrian vehicle and component builder Magna, is set to be the company’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV), but is also be available with a hybrid set-up – a range-extender system consisting of a small petrol engine that powers a generator to maintain the charge level of the battery for when external charging isn’t available.
Slightly shorter and lower than the Grenadier, the Fusilier will, the company says, be built on a bespoke, skateboard platform, have a steel ‘top hat’ and underbody, and aluminium doors and closures. Not too much other information has been shared, with INEOS saying that confirmation of the alternative powertrain details and launch timings is expected by autumn 2024. However, it can be assumed that the company’s founder, British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, will be put as much energy and care into the creation of the Fusilier as he apparently did with the Grenadier. Certainly he can see a need for his company to cater to a variety of possible uses when it comes to his vehicles.
“As we developed this vehicle, we quickly concluded that in order to move towards decarbonisation but continue making cars that consumers want to drive, we need a mix of powertrain technologies,” said Ratcliffe.
“BEVs are perfect for certain uses: shorter trips and urban deliveries, but industry and governments need to have realistic expectations around other technologies that can help accelerate the necessary pace of change. That is the reason we are offering an additional powertrain for the Fusilier, one that dramatically reduces emissions but has the range and refuelling capabilities needed.”
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (March 2024)
25 March 2024