Ineos has taken the covers off the new Fusilier – a smaller version of its popular Grenadier SUV with battery-electric (BEV) and range-extender hybrid (REx) powertrain options.
The chemical-maker-turned-car-manufacturer’s third vehicle is only due to come to market in late 2026/early 2027, just in time to compete with the compact models of the Land Rover Defender, Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and Toyota Land Cruiser which are all anticipated to launch within the next few years.
With its official introduction still a ways away the company has been tight-lipped about what the Fusilier will offer, only promising that it will bring “world-class off-road capability” and be more comfortable than its ladder-frame-based siblings.
The new Ineos is being produced in partnership with Magna, which builds vehicles such as the BMW 5 Series, Jaguar I-Pace, and aforementioned Mercedes-Benz G-Class for their respective manufacturers.
What to expect
Ineos has thus far revealed that the Fusilier BEV is targeting a maximum driving range of 400km while the REx will have approximately 70% of the BEV’s battery capacity to deliver a range of 270km with the combustion engine completely switched off.
Additionally, both variants will have an electric motor on each axle to ensure that they are as capable as their larger stablemates off the beaten track.
“This will be a serious off-road vehicle, not just something with some e-diffs,” CEO Lynn Calder told the UK’s Autocar at the launch of the Fusilier in London.
“It might be a bit softer as it’s not on a ladder frame but it will pass all our tests or we wouldn’t do it.”
The Fusilier adopts a new skateboard platform as well as a revised steering system, in place of the body-on-frame construction and recirculating-ball steering mechanism of the Grenadier and Quartermaster, in the pursuit of on-road comfort.
To maximise driving potential, it was also designed to be more aerodynamic than the larger Ineos vehicles by virtue of its rounded edges, flush windows, recessed door hinges, and active grille shutters.
The cabin of the new SUV has yet to be revealed but the company said that it will be heavy on physical buttons and switches and not rely on software and screens as much as other modern cars in its segment.
We are still in the early days of the Fusilier’s production cycle, however, and plenty of details are still under wraps.
To give you a better indication of where it’s at right now; the decision to produce the vehicle as an REx was only taken weeks ago and done with the understanding that a BEV wouldn’t be able to satisfy the demands of all customers.
Ineos doesn’t even know who will be producing the powertrain’s batteries yet, nor what their chemical makeup will be.
“We have to have [an EV] whether we like it or not, but we like it, as it’s important to the world,” said company owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
“Our instinct was to follow the industry with an EV, but a few months ago we paused. My big problem with EVs is that there are two huge failings: they don’t do A to B as a decent journey and you can’t then fill it up.”
The Fusilier’s powertrain specifications and launch timings for the respective markets are due to be announced before the end of 2024, Ineos confirmed.
As with the rest of the automaker’s vehicles, we expect that the Fusilier will be available in South Africa with both the BEV and REx technologies.
Ineos Fusilier
Join the discussion