6:18 am, February 24, 2024
Ineos Automotive boss Sir Jim Ratcliffe has said British and European governments are forcing EVs down consumers throats, as he unveiled his new battery-powered Fusilier with back-up petrol engine.
The billionaire who also owns Ineos and co-owns Manchester United made comments that regulations force car companies like his to develop electric vehicles, otherwise they ‘can’t survive’.
The new electric Fusilier 4×4 is smaller than the Grenadier and is built on a completely separate platform to what is used on its two previous models.
The EV will be available as a full EV and range-extender, Ineos says the pure electric version will have 249 miles of range but the range-extender will have around 168 miles suplemented by the petrol engine.
The Telegraph reports that Ratcliffe told the event’s press conference: ‘Europe is saying ‘You’ll all drive in electric vehicles and we’ll can the combustion engine’, whereas America is saying… ‘there probably isn’t one solution for all purposes’.
‘I think ultimately, they can’t force a solution down the consumer’s throat that the consumer rejects. They need to find a solution which is acceptable to people.
‘I think the consumer should have a choice. And it’s clear at the moment that consumers are speaking with their feet, aren’t they? They’re not buying electric cars.’
Speaking with the Times, he added: ‘There are two huge failings of electric vehicles. You cannot always get from A to B and you cannot always find a charging place that is available or that doesn’t have a queue. You can’t be too idealistic about it. You cannot have an ‘ideal solution’ if the customer does not want it.’
Ratcliffe added: ‘I would go for the range extender. It still has a low carbon footprint, so you can feel good about it but without the anxiety about range or filling up.’
