Jim Ratcliffe will release an electric version of the 4×4 Grenadier

The electric version of the Grenadier will be built in Graz, Austria and tested on the nearby Schöckl mountain.

Billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe will build an all-electric version of his 4×4 Grenadier to be tested in the Austrian mountains

Ineos, the chemical company owned by Sir Jim, has announced a successor to its battery-powered SUVs and cars. launching new cars in 2026.

Grenadier is the passion project of a billionaire mogul from Monaco who is currently vying to buy Manchester United.

Sir Jim personally funded the development of the Grenadier as a successor to the Land Rover Defender. . Ineos began producing petrol and diesel versions last year, with deliveries starting in December.

The electric version will be smaller than the petrol Grenadier and will be built by Canada's Magna International, which builds cars for other manufacturers' designs.< /p>

The vehicles will be built at Magna's plant in Graz, Austria, before being tested on the nearby Austrian 4,741-foot Schöckl mountain.

Lynn Calder, chief executive of Ineos Automotive, said: «Our new electric 4×4 will be zero-emissions, offering customers exceptional off-road capability without sacrificing on-road comfort or performance.» future.

In 2020, the company signed an agreement with the South Korean company Hyundai to develop hydrogen technology for future models.

The wider chemical industry Ineos produces 300,000 tons of hydrogen a year, mostly as a by-product of other processes.

The Grenadier, which costs over £55,000, was named after the London pub where Sir Jim came up with automobile.

Along with Grenadier, Ineo has registered trademarks such as Sapper and Gunner for a future launch of an expanded offering. Photo: TIM SCOTT.

In 2017, he laid out plans to replicate the rough outline of the Defender, which had been halted in the UK a year earlier.

The development of the Grenadier cost Sir Jim, who is worth an estimated $14.2 billion. 11.2 billion), now over £400m.

Since the launch of the project, Jaguar Land Rover has resumed development of the Defender, albeit with a facelift, and sold it to a more upmarket audience rather than the original focused to the country. .

The Grenadier was originally planned to be built in Bridgend, South Wales, but Ineos moved production to France after being able to buy a complete plant from Mercedes, giving it better access to suppliers.

The company denies that the decision was motivated by Brexit.

While the Grenadier was a passion project, Ineos has declared its ambition to launch a fleet of other vehicles alongside the 4×4.

Ineos Automotive has registered trademarks for Fusilier, Privateer, Brigadier, Quartermaster, Sapper and Gunner, the Telegraph reported this week.