Another brand ditches electric car plans: Ineos Fusilier 4WD, the sibling to the Ineos Grenadier and rival to the Mercedes-Benz G580, delayed as buyers cool on EVs - report

Ineos Automotive has delayed the release of its electric Fusilier SUV according to reports, placing the blame on uncertainty around the future of electric cars.

The electric car sibling to the Ineos Grenadier - itself essentially a continuation of the original Land Rover Defender design - was expected to debut within the near future, but could now be as late as 2027 or even 2028.

First reported by Bloomberg, the delay is being chalked up to the possibility of the UK’s Labour Party winning this week’s general election and following through on a promise to bring forward the ban on sale of new petrol engines in the UK to 2030 (from 2035).

Ineos announced at the start of the year the Fusilier will come with a range extender version, equipped with a petrol engine to charge batteries and reduce range anxiety.

Because of the engine, this version of the Fusilier wouldn’t be able to be sold in the UK from 2030 if the petrol engine ban goes ahead.

“We are delaying the launch of the Ineos Fusilier for two reasons: reluctant consumer uptake of EVs, and industry uncertainty around tariffs, timings and taxation,” Ineos said according to Bloomberg. 

“There needs to be long-term clarity from policymakers.”

The Fusilier is slightly shorter in both length and height than the Grenadier, while also featuring a less boxy design that’s slightly more reminiscent of a Mercedes G-Class than the Defender look-alike Grenadier.

The decision to include a range extender variant came, according to Ratcliffe, to alleviate the ‘range anxiety’ perceived by some owners or aspirational owners of electric cars.

2024 Ineos Grenadier

“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,” Ratcliffe said in February, when further details of the model were expected to be revealed in Q3 this year.

“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. 

“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.”

The decision to delay the Fusilier isn’t the first time Ratcliffe’s Ineos has backed down on set plans.

The Ineos Grenadier and its ute sibling, the Quartermaster, remain in production in France, while the Fusilier is intended to be built in Austria despite Ratcliffe initially saying Ineos would build cars in the UK to express “confidence in British manufacturing”.

2024 Ineos Grenadier

“We have looked long and hard at possible manufacturing locations for Grenadier across the world with lots of good options to choose from,” Ratcliffe said in 2019.

“The decision to build in the UK is a significant expression of confidence in British manufacturing, which has always been at the heart of what Ineos stands for.”

The move angered the community in Bridgend, Wales, where Ineos was to build a plant to produce the Grenadier.

Former First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones told Wales’ BBC Radio Cymru upon Ineos abandoning the plan that “they don't want to invest in the UK”.

"I've heard a lot of things in politics over the years, but I've never seen this before, when a company says that they want to support the UK, but once the money's on the table, that's not what they do,” Jones said.

"I'm incredibly angry. There was an agreement and they've gone back on that."