Ineos agrees with Chery to jointly develop an SUV
UK-based Ineos Automotive is in talks with China's Chery to develop an SUV on an electric vehicle platform with range-extending range-extender from the iCaur brand.
Here's What We Know
According to Autocar, the partnership (if it goes ahead) will help Ineos quickly relaunch its delayed Fusilier SUV project and dilute the range of the slow-selling Grenadier with an internal combustion engine. The low CO2 Fusilier will help meet EU and UK environmental regulations.
The Fusilier was originally planned to be all-electric, but in its new role it will become a hybrid or "new energy car" in Chinese terminology. The basis will be the upcoming iCaur V27, a 4.8m-long SUV with a 1.5-litre turbo engine as generator and a 22 or 33kW⋅h battery. The all-wheel drive version develops up to 449 hp thanks to electric motors on each axle.
Ineos can assemble the Fusilier at its plant in Hambach (France) from Chinese components, thus avoiding the increased EU duties on electric vehicles from the PRC with sufficient localisation.
Teaser of the iCaur V27. Photo: iCaur / Weibo
Su Jun, head of iCaur, calls the V27 "China's G-Class" or "new energy Land Cruiser".
The iCaur brand (renamed from iCar due to a conflict with Apple) plans to start selling in Europe from next year. An even more global goal is to open 2,000 car dealerships in 100 countries in three years.
Source: Autocar
