The internet is buzzing with news reports that Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Ineos CEO, has announced that the Ineos Grenadier off-roader will soon be joined by a smaller, electric version based on a skateboard-style platform.
“I don’t know how much we’ve talked about the electric version of the Grenadier, but we’re well on with that project. It’ll be fully electric, with a range of 400 kilometers (249 miles). It’ll be a bit smaller than the Grenadier, but it’ll look like a younger brother, I suppose. It is an off-road vehicle, so by definition, it’s quite rugged, and therefore it has to carry a bit of a weight penalty, which obviously the Grenadier does”.
According to reports, the EV, which is currently undergoing final design sign-off, will feature up to three motors and a 400-volt electric system. Unlike the Grenadier’s ladder frame and coil-sprung architecture, the Ineos EV will likely ride on a bespoke “skateboard” platform and independent suspension. And while the Ineos team intends their EV to have class-leading capability, it may not boast the excellent off-road performance of the Grenadier.
While EVs typically offer more power than most traditional production vehicles, there is the trade-off of higher weight. The Ineos design team will need to ensure that their EV is compact, nimble, and not too heavy to take advantage of the off-road ability that comes from stand-alone electric motors powering independent wheels.
As with the Grenadier power plant, the Ineos EV motors will be sourced from established manufacturers, and while there is no doubt a shortlist, several motors for the electric 4WD are still being considered.
Sir Ratcliffe explained,
“We need to embrace the future, which clearly, in an urban environment, is going to be electric—but even in a country environment, if you’re a farmer, you probably will have an electric vehicle you can drive around on tracks and things like that. So you want one that’s capable, but it’s electric. I think that’s our vision at the moment.”
The fossil-fueled Grenadier went into production in December 2022 and is offered with two powertrains: a 3.0-liter BMW B57 I6 turbo diesel and the 3.0-liter BW B58 I6 turbocharged gasoline engine, both six-cylinder. The transmission will be a ZF 8-speed automatic, and the vehicle will come standard with permanent four-wheel drive and low range via a 2.5:1 Tremec transfer case. Additionally, the Grenadier will feature long travel progressive rate coil springs on all four corners, disc brakes, a ladder frame, and beam axles. Manufactured in Hambach, France, the Grenadier is offered as a five-door mid-size SUV with a wheelbase of 115 inches and a total length of 191.2 inches.
Ineos will also build the as-yet-to-be-named EV at the Ineos factory in Hambach and is planned for release in 2026. It will likely retail at less than $60,000.
Our No Compromise Clause: We carefully screen all contributors to ensure they are independent and impartial. We never have and never will accept advertorial, and we do not allow advertising to influence our product or destination reviews.
