Ineos has revealed the first official photos and information about its third model. It’s called the Ineos Fusilier, and in addition to an electric powertrain, it will also have an electric version with a range extender. It will be built at Magna’s Graz plant, which is also the manufacturer of the Mercedes G-Class.
Foto: Ineos
The Mercedes G-Class facelift will be unveiled on March 26, 2024, and the electric version will have the world premiere towards the end of April. But until then, Ineos has unveiled a rival to the electric G-Class, called Fusilier.
Following the launch of the Ineos Grenadier in spring 2023 and the Ineos Quartermaster pickup in summer 2023 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Ineos is unveiling its third model. The unveiling ceremony took place in London’s Grenadier Pub in the presence of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, owner of Ineos, with former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond as master of ceremonies.
The Ineos Fusilier is slightly shorter and less tall than the Ineos Grenadier. The design retains the Grenadier’s key features: simple square shapes, round headlights, and asymmetrical rear doors.
The big surprise is that the Fusilier will be offered in a second version in addition to the electric one: electric with a range extender. A small ICE engine that has no mechanical connection to the wheels will act as a generator to charge the battery where there is no possibility to charge the car at an external station. Details of the range extender propulsion system and when it will be available will be announced in autumn 2024.
Ineos also chose the alternative range extender solution because the new Fusilier will retain Grenadier’s exceptional off-road capabilities and reach many hard-to-reach places, where there are no charging stations. That’s why anyone who buys a Fusilier for off-road and heavy-duty work will have the option of the range extender version.
The Ineos Fusilier is built on a dedicated electric platform, having a skateboard structure with a battery protected by a steel shield, steel roof, aluminum doors, and hood. Both versions will have an electric motor on each axle.
The fully electric version will have a WLTP range of 400 km. The range extender version will have a smaller battery, giving a range of around 270 km plus the additional range provided by the ICE engine acting as a generator. The batteries will be delivered by Samsung and assembled in Hungary, but Ineos has not yet decided on the battery chemistry.
Although unveiled earlier, the Ineos Fusilier will appear after the electric G-Class, in 2026, while the electric G-Class will be available to order from 2025. These two models will be the only professional off-roaders on the market available with fully electric propulsion for the time being, while Jeep Recon, the electric version of the Wrangler, will have the presentation in the U.S. also this year.
The Ineos Fusilier will be built by Magna at its plant in Graz, Austria because Ineos does not have enough capacity at the Hambach plant. Magna is also Ineos’ development partner for the Grenadier and Quartermaster. The Ineos Fusilier will reportedly be available for the European market only. The Ineos Fusilier will pass the rigorous testing program on Austria’s Schockl Mountain, which was also completed by the Mercedes G-Class and the upcoming Mercedes EQG.
