Ineos Fusilier electric and hybrid 4WD unveiled

UK off-road start-up Ineos Automotive – the creator of the Land Rover Defender look-alike Grenadier 4WD – has unveiled its first electric vehicle, the Fusilier, expected in showrooms in 2026.

At first glance the Fusilier looks identical to the Grenadier – itself a clone of the old Land Rover Defender – but it has more streamlined proportions and a slightly-smaller body to maximise driving range.

It will be available as a battery-electric vehicle, or with a 'range-extender electric' drivetrain which Ineos says uses a small petrol engine as a generator to recharge the battery, in turn powering electric motors which spin the wheels.

Plans for Australia are yet to be announced, as is a precise launch date, but Ineos has previously indicated overseas showroom arrivals are due in 2026 – and promises "world-class off-road capability" despite its electric drivetrain.

MORE: Electric Ineos four-wheel-drive due 2026, more details emerge

Ineos Automotive – part of chemical giant Ineos, founded by UK billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe – says launch timing, and further details of the range-extender variant are due "by autumn 2024" (August to October).

The Fusilier is underpinned by a "bespoke skateboard platform", a reference to the design of the platform which resembles a skateboard, with a wheel at each corner, a large battery pack, and a car body placed on top.

The 'skateboard' is set to have a steel top hat – the industry term for the body of the vehicle, which sits atop the chassis – and underbody, with aluminium doors and 'closures', which describes opening parts such as the bonnet and tailgate.

The Fusilier is promised to be "slightly shorter in length and slightly lower in height" than the Grenadier, which measures 4856mm long, 1930mm wide and 2050mm tall – similar to a Jeep Wrangler and smaller than a Toyota Prado.

Ineos does not state if the electric skateboard platform is of its own design, or shared with another manufacturer. The company has previously indicated the latter.

It will be developed in conjunction with, and manufactured in Graz, Austria by Magna, an engineering firm which assisted in the Grenadier's creation – and builds vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Toyota GR Supra, Jaguar I-Pace and BMW Z4.

The UK start-up says the Fusilier's development will include off-road testing on Austria's Schöckl mountain, where Mercedes-Benz G-Wagens are also tested.

The Fusilier's design looks like the Grenadier but it is slightly less boxy with rounded edges, a less upright windscreen, body-coloured accents in place of the Grenadier's black, and no tailgate-mounted spare wheel.

In place to maximise driving range are recessed door hinges, a more streamlined front fascia design with seven-inch (178mm) LED headlights, flushed glazing, active grille shutters, and what looks to be a smooth underbody.

No images of the interior have been released, but peering through the windows in the images shows two large screens for infotainment and instruments.

Ineos has not explained the Fusilier name, though it may refer to the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, a British Army infantry regiment.

As the official story goes, the Ineos Grenadier was named after the pub – The Grenadier, located 600 metres from Hyde Park in London – where Sir Ratcliffe devised the initial idea for a new 4WD in the style of the classic Land Rover Defender.

Arrival timing for the Ineos Fusilier is yet to be confirmed, however the UK start-up has previously suggested a 2026 launch.

"[Electric vehicles] 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," Ineos chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe said in a media statement.

"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 company said it has progressed with hydrogen fuel-cell technology beyond a Grenadier prototype as "the refuelling infrastructure needs to be in place before it is commercially viable."