INEOS Automotive unveils its first 4×4 EV, but also uses the moment to romanticize gas cars
During a livestream held from the Grenadier Pub in London today, young UK Automaker INEOS publicly unveiled its third model and first EV – the Fusilier. As a smaller version of its Grenadier sibling, the Fusilier will arrive with BEV and range extender options. Despite being all-electric, the Fusilier’s makers couldn’t stop talking about the potential of every other option besides electric.
INEOS Automotive is a vehicle sub-brand of Ineos Group Limited, a London-based conglomerate operating as one of the largest chemical companies in the world. The automotive arm was formed in 2017 by INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who currently sits as chairman and CEO. Ratcliffe saw a gap in the market for high-performance 4×4 vehicles that are rugged and reliable.
That new entry began with its flagship combustion vehicle, the Grenadier, launched in 2022. INEOS has since launched a double-cab pickup version of the Grenadier and donned the Quartermaster, both of which are powered by combustion.
At the time, however, INEOS shared that a 4×4 EV powertrain was in the works, leading to today’s launch of its third model – the Fusilier. Developed with the help of Magna, INEOS’ first EV model looks cool, but it’s hard to believe its own creators have faith in its success unless you choose the range extender version that still requires gas.
INEOS unveils new Fusilier EV in London
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS head of design Toby Ecuyer were joined by former Top Gear co-host and TV personality Richard Hammond, from the Grenadier Pub in London, which had been renamed the Fusilier Pub, but only for today.
The gentlemen briefly mentioned the new INEOS EV alongside a quick launch video you can view below, but the stream took a baffling turn from there as the conversation shed its sheep’s clothing as sunk into an ode to the glory days of gas cars and how many problems EVs still give consumers, spoon fed to the audience. Some of which just wanted to learn about this exciting new INEOS EV.
There’s no argument that such a nascent and fast-growing segment is taking its fair share of lumps as the market tries to keep up and adapt, but it was an interesting coming from the team itself. I’ll dig into that later, but let’s focus on the potential of the new Fusilier 4×4.
As mentioned, the Fusilier will come in full BEV and BEV + range extender powertrain options to meet a broader range of consumers. During the livestream, Ratcliffe stated that the BEV version will offer about 400km (249 miles) of range, plus another 270km (168 miles) with the gas engine extender. The automotive chairman and CEO spoke:
As we developed this vehicle, we quickly concluded that in order to move towards decarbonization 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 refueling capabilities needed.
The new INEOS EV is smaller and more aerodynamic than its Grenadier sibling while offering a classic feel and tremendous off-road capability – two design pillars on the automotive sub-brand were built. The exterior features active grille shutters that can manage airflow and maximize range and 7″ circular LED lighting in the front and rear to match the other INEOS vehicles.
There was no mention of battery size, chemistry, or charging capabilities. Just a lot of talk about petrol, synthetic fuels, and even hydrogen. This automaker is owned by a massive fuel and lubricant manufacturer, by the way.
As with the Grenadier station wagon and Quartermaster pickup, the INEOS Fusilier was developed alongside Magna International and will likely be built at Magna Steyr in Austria, which is currently home to Mercedes G-Wagon and Fisker Ocean production.
INEOS said it will share details of the alternative powertrains this coming fall and when the new EV will officially launch and begin sales.
Electrek’s take
Listen, I know there’s still a vast world of ICE fans out there, and EVs in their current state don’t make the most sense financially or performance-wise for plenty of consumers yet. We will get there, and that’s fine. But there’s a time and a place for those conversations, and I’m no PR expert, but a live stream launch event is not the appropriate time to talk about the potential gas cars still … have in the tank (sorry, I had to).
Some of us got up long before sunrise to tune into this event in London and report back to a loyal audience of EV enthusiasts hoping to learn more about a genuinely cool-looking 4×4 EV from INEOS, not to hear emcee Richard Hammond not so subtly steer every question and comment away from the (inevitable) future of electrification and tee INEOS Automotive’s CEO up for opportunity after opportunity to spread doubt and misinformation about it.
At one point, Ratcliffe said, “There are still huge gains to be made in combustion engines.” Hammond cited some unnamed study that said by 2050, a vast majority of cars in Europe will still be combustion. Not any new vehicles, that’s for sure.
Whether those points end up being true (they won’t), it still begs the question, “Why are we talking about this right now?” This was a public launch of an ELECTRIC VEHICLE. It’s hard to instill confidence in a new EV model when INEOS’ own executives don’t want to talk about it on the day it’s unveiled.
INEOS’ design strategy is clearly still heavily focused on gas engines, and that’s fine. They will have an audience. But if you’re going to build an EV to offer consumers a broader range of options, don’t half-ass it. This community can sniff that out in a second (ahem, Mazda).
We want to know about the batteries, where the cells came from, the acceleration, torque, towing, and, of course, all of the cool software features inside. There was none of that, so forgive me if it’s hard to get excited about this one so far. INEOS has a lot to learn and a lot more to share about its new EV, which could have been done today. Instead, we will wait patiently for the next stream… although I’ll probably just skip it, stay in bed for another hour or so, then and go straight to the press release.
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No matter how badly a fleet wants to electrify their operations and take advantage of reduced fuel costs and TCO, the fact remains that there are substantial up-front obstacles to commercial EV adoption … or are there? We’ve got fleet financing expert Guy O’Brien here to help walk us through it on today’s fiscally responsible episode of Quick Charge!
This conversation was motivated by the recent uncertainty surrounding EVs and EV infrastructure at the Federal level, and how that turmoil is leading some to believe they should wait to electrify. The truth? There’s never been a better time to make the switch!
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Vermont’s EV adoption has surged by an impressive 41% over the past year, with nearly 18,000 EVs now registered statewide.
According to data from Drive Electric Vermont and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, 17,939 EVs were registered as of January 2025, increasing by 5,185 vehicles. Notably, over 12% of all new cars registered last year in Vermont had a plug. Additionally, used EVs are gaining popularity, accounting for about 15% of new EV registrations.
To put it in perspective, Vermont took six years to register its first 5,000 EVs – and the last 5,000 were added in just the previous year.
Rapid growth, expanding infrastructure
In just two years, Vermont has doubled its fleet of EVs, underscoring residents’ enthusiasm for electric driving. To support this surge, the state now boasts 459 public EV chargers, including 92 DC fast chargers.
The EV mix in Vermont is leaning increasingly toward BEVs, which represent 60% of the state’s EV fleet. The remaining 40% consists of PHEVs, offering flexible fuel options for drivers.
Top EV models in Vermont
Vermont’s favorite EVs in late 2024 included the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Nissan Ariya, Toyota RAV4 Prime PHEV, Tesla Model Y, and the Ford F-150 Lightning. These vehicles have appealed to Vermont drivers looking for reliability, performance, and practical features that work well in Vermont’s climate.
Leading the US in reducing emissions
This strong adoption of EVs earned Vermont the top ranking from the Natural Resources Defense Council for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transportation in 2023. “It’s only getting easier for Vermonters to drive electric,” noted Michele Boomhower, Vermont’s Department of Transportation director. She emphasized the growing variety of EV models, including electric trucks and SUVs with essential features like all-wheel drive, crucial for Vermont’s climate and terrain.
Local dealerships boost EV accessibility
Nucar Automall, an auto dealer in St. Albans, is a great example of local support driving this trend. With help from Efficiency Vermont’s EV dealer incentives – receiving $25,000 through the EV Readiness Incentive program – it recently installed 15 EV chargers for new buyers and existing drivers to use.
“Having these chargers on the lot makes it easier for customers to see just how simple charging an EV can be,” said Ryan Ortiz, general manager at Nucar Automall. Ortiz also pointed out the growing affordability of EVs, thanks to more models becoming available and an increase in pre-owned EVs coming off leases.
Read more: Vermont becomes the first US state to pass a law requiring Big Oil to pay for climate damage
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Elon Musk said Tesla’s self-driving will start contributing to the company’s profits… wait for it… “next year” with “millions of Tesla robotaxis in operation during the second half of the year.”
The claim has become a running joke, as he has made it for the last decade.
During Tesla’s conference call following the release of its Q1 2025 financial results, Musk updated shareholders about Tesla’s self-driving plans, which he again presented as critical to the company’s future.
He made a series of claims, mainly updating timelines about Tesla’s self-driving efforts.
Here are the main comments:
- The CEO reiterated that Tesla will launch its paid autonomous ride-sharing service in Austin in June.
- He did clarify that the fleet will consist of Model Y vehicles and not the new Cybercab.
- Musk also confirmed that Tesla is currently training a fleet specifically for Austin.
- As we previously reported, this internal ride-hailing fleet operating in a geo-fenced with teleoperation assist is a big change from Tesla’s approach.
- Musk said “10 to 20 vehicles” on day one.
- Musk said that Tesla’s self-driving will start contributing positively to the company financially in the middle of next year, and “There will be millions of Teslas operating autonomously in the second half of next year.”
- Musk has literally said something similar every year for the past decade and therefore, it’s hard to take him seriously.
- The CEO claimed that Tesla would get “a 90-something percentage market share” in the autonomous market.
- Musk again claimed that no one else is getting close to Tesla’s capacity, and he criticized Waymo for being too expensive.
- Musk is “confident” that the first Model Y will drive itself from the factory to a customer’s home later this year.
- The CEO said that he is confident that Tesla will deliver “unsupervised full self-driving” in consumer vehicles by the end of the year.
Despite Tesla missing earnings expectations by a wide margin, the company’s stock rose 4% in after-hours trading following Musk’s comments, indicating that shareholders still believe Musk’s self-driving predictions, despite his predictions having been incorrect for almost a decade.
Electrek’s Take
The first point I believe will happen. Tesla needs it to happen. It badly needs a win on the self-driving front.
However, as we previously explained, while Tesla will claim a win in June, it will be with a limited geo-fenced and teleoperation-assisted system that won’t scale to customer vehicles, which is what has been promised for years.
Tesla was even asked how it plans to launch this in Austin in June, when FSD in consumer vehicles currently requires frequent interventions from drivers, and Ashok, Tesla’s head of autonomous driving, admitted his team is currently focused on solving the intervention specifically related to driving in Austin.
With training on specific Austin routes and using teleoperations, Tesla can make that happen, but the road between that and unsupervised self-driving in consumer vehicles and “million of Tesla robotaxis” in the second of next year is a long one.
Basically, other than the first point, I believe Tesla will not achieve any of the other on anything close to the timelines announced by Musk today.
I’m willing to take bets on that.
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