New Ineos Fusilier revealed as EV 4x4 with range-extender option

“I stand by the steering of the Grenadier, for sure, but I understand the criticism. This is rack-and-pinion steering so much more acceptable in urban environments."

Company founder and chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe said Ineos is offering the REx powertrain because "we're beginning to understand the clear limitations of battery-electric in certain situations".

He added: “We have to have [an EV] whether we like it or not, but we like it, as it’s important to the world.

"The US takes a different view to the EU in wanting to see the trajectory on CO2 go down, but they are open to different solutions and don’t want to force customers.

"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 REx's petrol engine – from an as-yet undetermined supplier – will function as a generator to give power to the electric motors and will major on simplicity and efficiency.

"It’s very small with a steady state. It’s very efficient and a simple piece of equipment, with no variable valves or anything," said Ratcliffe.

Ineos estimates that this variant will emit 20-30% of the CO2 of a conventional ICE model. 

Ratcliffe continued: "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 add a REx option was only made in the past few weeks and has prompted Ineos to push back the Fusilier's planned launch date from 2026 to early 2027. 

The Fusilier will also be engineered and developed by Magna. Notably, part of the development programme will involve durability testing on the infamously challenging Shöckl Pass - a proving ground for every iteration and variant of the venerable G-Class so far and now Ratcliffe’s own benchmark. 

Ratcliffe has previously laid bare the importance of the Fusilier’s off-road credentials, telling Autocar: “Because it’s electric, it will inevitably carry a bit of a weight penalty, but my expectation is that it will still have the range and capability of the Grenadier. We aren’t going to compromise.” 

The EV and REx cars will look identical. The Fusilier's visual relationship with the Grenadier is plain to see, but unlike the Quartermaster, it's a standalone model line. As such, it's fundamentally different underneath, as well as smaller in all dimensions than its full-sized, 4.9m-long sibling.