Ineos won’t be building the Fusilier – or any other future model – from the ground up, the company has confirmed.
Speaking to UK magazine Autocar, Ineos CEO Lynn Calder said the Fusilier – a smaller new SUV to slot in under the existing Grenadier – is expected to be launched “probably by 2028”, and it will be followed by two more models.
However, the British-based automaker will lean on technology partners to bring these new models to market.
“We’re not building any other cars from the ground up, like we have with the Grenadier,” said Ms Calder.
“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.”
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Don’t expect any more model derivatives based on the Grenadier’s in-house developed ladder-frame platform, either.
“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,” said Ms Calder.
As previously reported, Ineos was believed to be in talks with Chery to use the extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) architecture employed by its off-road sub-brand, iCaur.
While Ineos has yet to announce any details regarding these partnerships – including the unconfirmed report regarding talks with Chery – Ms Calder’s comments rule out the Fusilier being based on a smaller, modified version of the Grenadier platform.
iCaur’s V27 EREV uses electric motors to drive the wheels, offering significant benefits for off-roading, with a petrol engine used only as a power generator to feed the battery.
The V27 is the current flagship of the iCaur line, measuring just over five metres long and featuring a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired with either a single 185kW/300Nm electric motor or dual motors outputting 150kW/205Nm and 185kW/300Nm.
iCaur also offers the significantly smaller 03 and V23, though these are pure-electric SUVs.
Another significant benefit to Ineos in partnering with iCaur is that the Chinese brand’s vehicles are engineered and manufactured in both left- and right-hand drive – with the brand expected to enter the Australian market in early 2027.
It’s a far cry from the heavy-duty Grenadier, the first model to come from Ineos, which was created from the ground up after Land Rover announced it was discontinuing the classic Defender.
By partnering with another manufacturer with established models, Ineos should be able to fast-track the release of its new models while keeping development costs to a minimum.
Ineos unveiled the Fusilier concept in February 2024, featuring Grenadier-like styling but a bespoke skateboard platform underneath, plus the choice of all-electric or EREV powertrains. It confirmed a production version was planned for a 2027 introduction.
Just a few months later in July 2024, Ineos delayed the Fusilier indefinitely, citing “reluctant consumer uptake of EVs, and industry uncertainty around tariffs, timings and taxation”.
“Charging infrastructure for EVs in most markets continues to grow and consumer confidence will match that,” the company added in a statement released at the time.
“But for the industry to meet net-zero targets there needs to be long-term clarity from policy-makers and a number of technology options available considering factors like raw materials, infrastructure and affordability.”
Ineos Automotive’s regional director for Australia, New Zealand and APAC, Justin Hocevar, told CarExpert in March the Fusilier project was progressing.
“We had to pause that project; we were charging into it too quickly,” he said.
“Now that we’ve had a bit of time, we’ve got a better understanding of what we think is happening with a lot of markets around the world and the available technology to us.
“In terms of announcing the timeline, I don’t think it’s years away.”
Ineos Automotive doesn’t release sales figures – you won’t see the brand in Australian VFACTS reports, for example – but says it has delivered 35,000 vehicles globally since it started production in 2022.
After dealing with COVID-related supply disruptions and challenges with supplier Recaro, among other speed bumps, Ineos now has to contend with higher tariffs on its French-built SUVs in the US, its largest market.
The US reportedly accounts for around 65 per cent of Grenadier sales.
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