Ineos unveils its familiar-looking electric off-roader

Ineos unveils its familiar-looking electric off-roader 

Ineos is expanding its fleet with a third model in the form of a compact EV package. While it maintains old-school styling, the Fusilier was designed for an electric and modern future, providing overlanding enthusiasts with a go-anywhere, low-emission solution. So would it find traction in SSA,where our access to reliable power is questionable at best? 

Let's start by touching on the styling. The Fusilier maintains the old Defender inspiration with its boxy shape, rugged look, and iconic 7-inch headlights, which we saw with the first and second models, the Grenadier and Quartermaster. The Fusilier is now slightly smaller than its siblings, and with small styling adjustments, it paints more of a G-Class picture. This doesn’t come as a surprise considering the car is manufactured in a G-Class plant.

The potential issue here is that G-Wagon-inspired design could potentially upset Merc's plans, which involve the development of its own 'Baby G-Class' EV. Following the back-and-forth lawsuits between Land Rover and Ineos during the company's inception, could placing another respectable brand in the crosshairs become a source of concern for Ineos in the coming years?

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With politics out of the way, the brand continues to expand and gain a devoted fanbase. It clearly understands the need for producing vehicles that are up-to-date and fulfil modern emission standards while remaining desirable, which has been an increasingly crucial objective for automotive makers, particularly in the performance and adventure segments.

So Ineos has kept its promise to implement EVs in the fleet in the form of the Fusilier and has claimed that its lineup will ensure client needs are met with a variety of powertrains. This should help the brand further establish its name with different types of clients. This could include the addition of less rugged models in the future. But for now, their small lineup focuses on urban adventurers, rural explorers, militaries, and agricultural operations.

Unfortunately, it might be a while until South Africans are sold on electric 4x4s, as charging infrastructure is primarily centred around urban areas. Access to sufficient charging stations and power will, for the foreseeable future, remain a challenge in more rural areas. As for exploring Africa, fuel quality remains a worry, let alone access to charging stations.

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The Fusilier's specs have yet to be released, but we are excited to see this EV arrive in South Africa. In the meantime, the locally available Grenadier remains the sensible choice in the lineup, with the Quartermaster bakkie scheduled to arrive shortly.