Plastics & Rubber World - November/December 2019 - 4

COMMENT

EDITORIAL
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Cars and plastics

lectric vehicles (EVs) were all the rage at this year's Frankfurt motor show. With very
few exceptions, each carmaker had at least one plug-in oﬀering on display.

The prevalence of EVs highlights how they have moved from unusual oddity to mainstream option. Development has also stirred up the material mix as, beyond adding more
batteries, body lightweighting is the most eﬀective route to extending range. Lighter and
cheaper than most alternatives, plastics play a key role in adding extra miles.
Beyond the well-known marques, the rise of the EV has tempted newcomers into the market. In late 2017, James Dyson, of vacuum cleaner and hand drying fame, threw his hat
into the ring. The billionaire inventor planned to develop a new EV in the UK and build it in
Singapore. The vehicle would be ready for launch in 2021.
In October, Dyson announced that he was pulling the plug (pun intended) on the project.
Despite having bought in some impressive battery know-how leveraging solid state lithium-ion technology, Dyson's plan had failed to ﬁnd a backer
with suitably deep pockets.
It is estimated that bringing a wholly new, volume vehicle to
market can cost in excess of £1bn. But despite the eye-watering costs, there are still other debutantes prepared to
jump into the new vehicle market.
While Ineos is better known as a chemicals company delivering raw materials for a series of industries, including
plastics, billionaire owner and chairman Jim Ratcliﬀe is not
against a little diversiﬁcation. As exhibit 'A', note the company's investments in cycling and football teams.

After roughing out plans over a few pints down the pub (true story), Ineos is about to go
where Dyson could not. The Ineos Grenadier is a tough, four-wheel drive model described
as the spiritual successor to the original Land Rover Defender.
Like the old Defender, vehicle design is said to be boxy. Unlike the new Defender, the vehicle will have a utilitarian focus. There might be USB chargers and Bluetooth connectivity,
but the Grenadier will prioritise rugged functionality over comfort.
The model will use engines sourced by BMW. So while weight saving is not as critical as
with an electric vehicle, any model can beneﬁt from reduced emissions supported by lightweighting initiatives. Approached for comment on the use of plastics across the vehicle,
Ineos declared the company was "unable to conﬁrm exactly how much will be used in
Grenadier".
Bringing the model from drawing board to market is estimated to have cost about £600m.
Considering the company's core business, any failure by Ineos to leverage its plastics expertise in developing the new Grenadier would have to be considered an opportunity
missed.
As always, thanks for reading.
Julian Buckley
Editor, PRW magazine and website, jbuckley@crain.com

Ineos is about to
go where Dyson
could not

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Plastics & Rubber World - November/December 2019

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