Ineos Automotive, owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, delays production of its Ineos Fusilier SUV indefinitely due to slow consumer uptake of EVs and policy uncertainties in the industry. The model, set to be released in both electric and plug-in hybrid versions, features a range extender but faces potential bans in Europe and the UK by 2035 if new policies are implemented.
Ineos Delays Electric Vehicle Production Indefinitely
Ineos Automotive, owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has indefinitely postponed the production of its first electric vehicle (EV), the Ineos Fusilier SUV. The announcement, made just months after the model’s unveiling, originally slated production to begin in 2027. The Fusilier was planned to come in both pure electric and plug-in hybrid versions.
Ineos cited two primary reasons for the delay: the hesitant consumer uptake of EVs and uncertainty surrounding tariffs, timing, and taxation within the industry. The company emphasized the need for long-term policy clarity to meet net-zero targets, considering factors like raw materials, infrastructure, and affordability.
The Fusilier features a range extender, a small low-emission petrol engine that charges the electric battery when external charging options are unavailable. This technology would still face bans in Europe and the UK by 2035, or earlier if the Labour Party, which advocates reinstating the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, wins the upcoming General Election. This would reverse Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s decision to delay the ban to 2035.
