We’ve known about the brand’s plans to launch an electric off-roader since February, but it is only now that additional details are being released about it. This includes a range figure exceeding 249 miles (400 km) and confirmation that, unlike the Grenadier with its ladder-frame chassis, the Ineos EV will have a skateboard platform.
“It’s going to be a skateboard-style platform – a monocoque is really the only way to go when you’re converting a Grenadier [style 4×4] into an electric vehicle,” Ineos chief executive Lynn Calder told CarSales.
According to Ineos, it looked into the possibility of converting the Grenadier into an EV but concluded it was too difficult to package a large battery into its frame. Consequently, it has been forced to start with a blank sheet of paper for the new model and use a more EV-friendly architecture.
An unnamed source says that the Ineos EV will be an “unbeatable” off-roader and that it won’t just provide off-roading abilities not previously seen in an EV but that it will also be well suited for “workhorse duties.”
Ineos is developing its first EV in partnership with Magna Steyr, who also played a pivotal role in developing the Grenadier. The new model could be underpinned by Magna’s FM29 platform also used by the Fisker Ocean and a pair of Chinese SUVs.
This EV isn’t the only new vehicle being developed by Ineos. The car manufacturer is also working on an urban-focused model as a rival to the Jeep Avenger. Ineos is also developing a luxurious SUV that’s expected to be a heavily-modified version of the Grenadier that will be more focused on on-road performance and comfort.
