Ineos Automotive is to delay the launch of its second model, the Fusilier electric SUV, partly blaming the stalling electric vehicle (EV) market.

The company, headed by UK business entrepreneur Sir Jim Ratcliffe, unveiled the Fusilier in February as a smaller 4×4 than the Grenadier, the brand’s launch model, and the first Ineos to be offered with either an all-electric or range-extender electric powetrain.

At the time of the Fusilier’s launch an on-sale date for the model was not revealed, but industry sources indicated that production would begin in 2027 at Magna’s plant in Austria – the company already builds the Grenadier for Ineos.

At the launch Ratcliffe described bringing an electric 4×4 to market as “exciting” but cautioned that BEVs showed clear limitations in certain situations. “We believe the addition of a range extender electric to our line-up will offer our customers a very low-emission drive without the range anxiety drivers of electric vehicles experience today.”

Now Ineos has paused the Fusilier programme, with no new timescale set for a launch, due to what the company describes as “reluctant consumer uptake of EVs and industry uncertainty around tariffs, timings and taxation.”

Under legislation introduced by the last Government sales of all combustion-engined new cars in the UK will be banned in 2035 – this was scaled back from the original plan of 2030. Meanwhile a Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate, which is in its first year, requires 22% of a vehicle manufacturer’s UK sales to be zero emission by the end of 2024, rising to 80% in 2030.

Despite these measures the transition to electric vehicles is stalling – the latest new car registration figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers show the fleet market continuing to prop up the EV market. Sales of EVs to private buyers are down by close to 11% compared to a year ago and the electric share of the market is currently 16.6% – just 0.5% up on June 2023 and well below the Government-set  target of 22%.

In a statement revealing the delay to the Fusilier launch Ineos acknowledged that charging infrastructure for EVs in most markets continues to grow and consumer confidence will match that. But the statement added that for the industry to meet net-zero targets there needs to be long-term clarity from policymakers and a number of technology options available considering factors such as raw materials, infrastructure and affordability. 

“We are committed to bringing an EV to market not just because of legislation but because we want to – it is the right thing to do – but as a new small-volume manufacturer we can only produce vehicles that will sell,” Ineos stated.

“The Fusilier is an electric vehicle, but also provides the option of a range extender that uses a small low-emission petrol engine to charge the electric battery when external charging isn’t available. This low-emission solution for longer journeys or where charging is not possible would still be banned in both Europe and the UK in 2035.” 

Million milestone can’t hide market reliance on fleet EV sales