British car-maker Ineos Automotive has announced plans to launch an electric SUV with off-road capabilities by 2026. The company, which is independently funded by the chemical and energy giant of the same name, will adopt an electric platform from an unnamed manufacturer instead of developing its own design.
According to senior Ineos executive Mark Tennant, the exterior design of the electric SUV is nearly complete, with the interior still under development with the help of third-party vehicle assembly and engineering firm Magna-Steyr. The company has not revealed the name of the electric-car platform it intends to adopt, but it currently uses BMW petrol and diesel engines in its first four-wheel-drive, the Grenadier. Magna-Steyr also produces cars for brands such as Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and BMW.
Tennant stated that the company is looking for components from the Grenadier for the electric SUV, but it will not be using a ladder frame platform. Instead, the vehicle will be using a ‘skateboard’ platform, which is a dedicated electric vehicle platform with a form resembling a skateboard and comprised of batteries connecting the wheels at each corner, eliminating the need for a traditional powertrain or chassis.
When asked about the off-road capabilities of the electric SUV, Tennant stated that the off-road capability would not be as good as the Grenadier, but it would be class-leading in its segment relative to the growing popularity of electric SUVs.
Justin Hocevar, the regional head of Ineos Automotive for the Asia-Pacific region, expressed keen interest in bringing the electric SUV to Australia and emphasized that it must have genuine capability as a true off-roader, not just a “soft-roader.” He said the Ineos Grenadier was designed to fill the void left by the discontinuation of the Land Rover Defender, which had 68 years of continuous production before ending in 2016. The electric SUV will retain core Ineos DNA, but push the boundaries of current battery-electric vehicles, which tend to be more focused on being “soft-roaders.”
