THE ENGINEER

INEOS vs THE PANDEMIC

▶ Engineering chief Oliver Schlipf explains how Ineos Automotive’s planet-straddling team has developed an entirely new car during a pandemic…

‘In 2020 there were some months where it was just not possible for some of our suppliers to keep on working. They were in complete shutdown, not just in production but also in development, so that was really, really challenging.

‘We are a very international team, coming from all kinds of different OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and engineering suppliers. The challenge was to figure out the most efficient way to do the development without taking shortcuts relating to the reliability, quality or safety of the product.

‘We are all doing long days, and it’s not just engineering. We had a supplier day some days ago, and you can feel there really is teamwork between us and the suppliers – they are motivated to find solutions and be very efficient. ‘We have done a lot of simulation, but we also have more than 100 cars out testing – in the cold, in the heat, all over the world when Covid allows.’

And what about the radical idea of running it on hydrogen?

‘Let’s focus on bringing the Grenadier to market on time and with the right quality, then focus on the fuel cell topic afterwards. But it is not completely separated. Part of my team is already in discussion with possible suppliers, and then we can take a look at the areas in which we can carry over from our combustion-engine project – and the areas we need to develop for a fuelcell vehicle.

‘When we deliver a fuel-cell vehicle to the customer, it will not be a bad compromise. It will not be the same as the combustion Grenadier but it will be a very good vehicle.’