Production of Ineos’ first vehicle, the Grenadier SUV, began merely two years ago. However, the newly formed entity, a subsidiary of the established British chemical corporation sharing the same name, has already diversified with the Quartermaster pickup truck and has confirmed the development of an electric SUV named the Fusilier.
Ineos does not plan to ease its pace and is already brainstorming two more SUV designs, alongside exploring the possibility of establishing a manufacturing plant in the United States. The current Ineos production facility is situated in Hambach, France, within a former Mercedes-Benz plant.
Details about Ineos’ expansion were shared by Lynn Calder, the company’s CEO, at the recent Financial Times Future of the Car Summit in London, as reported by Motor Trend.
Following the production launch of the Fusilier electric SUV around 2027, Ineos plans to introduce the two new SUV models. These upcoming SUVs are not expected to be as rugged as the Grenadier and Fusilier off-road-wise, but they will still offer commendable performance. One of them is projected to be larger than the Grenadier, potentially indicating the inclusion of third-row seating.
Calder’s remarks, as per Motor Trend, suggest that the two forthcoming SUVs will be built on versatile platforms suitable for various powertrain configurations, potentially accommodating both electric and gasoline variants. While Ineos is exploring hydrogen fuel cell technology, Calder hinted at the unlikelihood of an Ineos vehicle running on hydrogen, citing infrastructure limitations.
Regarding the potential American manufacturing plant, Calder indicated that Ineos is also considering China. Nonetheless, a U.S. facility might be preferred due to the 25% Chicken Tax imposed on light-duty truck imports into the U.S., similar to the existing Quartermaster model.
Ineos emerged after British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, chairman and founder of the Ineos chemicals company, faced rejection from Land Rover for the rights to produce the original Defender. The company also holds a one-third ownership in the Mercedes-Benz AMG Formula 1 team.
Image Source: Trygve Finkelsen / Shutterstock
