Ineos Fusilier: A Rugged EV With an Optional Range Extender to Go Farther
Ineos unveiled its latest off-road-ready SUV today, and this one’s electric. The upcoming four-wheel-drive Ineos Fusilier offers two versions of its electric drivetrain: one that’s entirely electric, and one with a range extender in case you travel too far off the grid.
Related: What’s New With Electric Vehicles for 2024?
Extended range EVs are somewhat rare — remember the BMW i3 or Chevrolet Volt? — but they are a neat option. The range extender itself is simple: It’s a small gasoline engine that powers a generator for the EV battery when the battery’s state of charge is low. The main powertrain is still driven by the battery and electric motors, not by the gas engine. As a result, these EVs typically have a much longer battery-only range than a plug-in hybrid car.
Ineos has been teasing a zero-emission 4×4 since May 2022, and the fully electric Fusilier makes good on that promise. Meanwhile, the low-emission version with a range extender broadens the Fusilier’s appeal to customers who worry about range and charger availability, the latter of which can be frustratingly an all too common issue even when you’re in civilization.
The Fusilier will be slightly shorter in both length and height than Ineos’ current 4WD SUV, the Grenadier. As Ineos’ first all-electric vehicle, it will ride on a new skateboard-style EV platform with a steel underbody, steel top, and aluminum doors and closures. The Fusilier’s styling is pleasingly boxy and has more than just a passing resemblance to the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Ineos partnered with the G-Class’ longtime builder, Magna, to develop the Fusilier as well as its Grenadier SUV and Quartermaster pickup truck.
While the overall effect is imposingly square, there are a lot of subtle curves in the Fusilier’s design in the name of improving efficiency and driver visibility. In a segment full of view-blocking hood scoops and bulges, it’s nice to see Ineos tout chamfered edges as something that should improve visibility out of the Fusilier. The Fusilier also features active grille shutters that open and close based on the range and cooling needs of the vehicle, and Ineos even recessed its visible door hinges to improve efficiency. Like Ineos’ other two models, the Fusilier has circular 7-inch LED lights front and rear. Two additional circular LED lights for extra illumination are recessed into the grille surround.
Ineos said it expects to release launch dates and further details about the Fusilier’s drivetrains by the fall. In an email to Cars.com, a company spokesperson said the Fusilier will be either a 2026 or 2027 model.
More From Cars.com:
- Which Electric Vehicles Can Tow?
- What to Know Before Purchasing an Electric Vehicle: A Buying Guide
- Up Close(ish) With the Tesla Cybertruck: The Future Is Dull and Metallic
- 2023 Rivian R1S Review: Upstart’s Second Model Is Actually the Better One
- Shop for a 2024 Ineos Grenadier
Related Video:
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
