Now that the Defender-inspired Ineos Grenadier has begun serial production, whispers are swirling that restless Brit billionaire and Ineos CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe is looking down the road to the next iteration, and it will likely be a smaller, all-electric off-roader based on an all-new platform optimized for an electric drivetrain.
The current Grenadier, which only went into production last December after prototypes were driven over a million miles worldwide, uses BMW-sourced turbocharged gas or diesel engines. According to numerous online reports, the next vehicle will run on electrons, and possibly electrons generated from hydrogen-fed fuel cells, which would make sense since Ineos is one of the largest hydrogen gas suppliers in the world.
However, no specific details about the upcoming EV have been released by Ineos, although Ratcliffe has said in interviews that he recognizes that electric vehicles are the future of transportation, especially in urban areas, and “we’re well on with” the as-yet-unnamed EV project. Rumors suggest the new vehicle will have an all-new architecture built around a battery “skateboard” with at least two electric motors for all-wheel drive capability. Ineos has also entered into cooperation with Hyundai, which is already producing the Nexo Fuel Cell EV (or FCEV) in limited numbers. It is available in the U.S. but only in California at this time since the state has a nascent hydrogen fueling infrastructure.
The electric range is quoted as an estimated 250 miles (400 km), although no battery specs or other technical details are yet known outside of Ineos that we could find. And it could be a smaller vehicle than the current Grenadier, which is loosely based on the iconic Defender platform. With an electric powertrain being difficult to recharge in the wild (hydrogen or otherwise), the EV could have a more urban driving focus while retaining off-road capability. Indeed, if the EV were to go with two, three, or even four independent motors, off-road prowess could get a serious boost.
We’ll keep looking for more details, but rumors so far indicate the vehicle is well along in the design phase and could arrive as a 2025 or 2026 model.