The European Union might have relaxed its rules regarding the sale of new gasoline/diesel cars, but it’ll still be hard for automakers to keep combustion alive. That frustrates Ineos Automotive CEO Lynn Calder, who says the industry should listen to customer demand and not top-down policies pushing full electrification. Ineos wants to give customers a choice—not just electric vehicles.
She told Top Gear that hybrids are popular, and yet “policy is defining what people should buy, and people don’t want it,” even though she believes electrification “will always have its place.” These policies are significantly harder on smaller auto operations like Ineos. But the company is embracing the new technology.
Over a year ago, Ineos revealed the Fusilier, an electric vehicle with a range-extender option. The project is currently paused, according to Calder. If it hits the market in 2027 or 2028, Ineos might be unable to sell it long enough to make a business case for producing it.
Calder also believes the EU will extend the ability to continue selling non-zero-emissions vehicles beyond the deadline. The EU relaxed the wording regarding its ban on combustion-powered vehicles, saying instead that it wants zero-emissions vehicles, which leaves the door open for carbon-neutral fuels like hydrogen or synthetic fuels. She said that pushing for lowering emissions should be the goal, not a push for zero-emissions vehicles.
Ineos Automotive was formed in 2017 to design and build a utilitarian off-road vehicle that would become the Grenadier. It also sells the Quartermaster pickup truck. The company sources its 3.0-liter inline-six gas and diesel engines from BMW.
