Ineos puts one Grenadier to work in a potash mine

Ineos is putting one example of the Grenadier 4X4 to work in a potash mine in Zielitz, Germany as part of an extended trial programme.

The programme will test the capabilities in a proper industrial environment. The mine is said to see up to 45,000 tonnes of raw salt extracted daily, with its deepest sections reaching 1,3000m below the earth's surface.

The programme aims to prove the Grenadier's durability in an especially challenging industrial application and inhospitable salt-rich environment

The tested Grenadier will be put to work in the mine, equipped with its standard underbody protection which includes front and rear guards and a fuel tank guard. The off-roader additionally benefits from complete electrocoating, wax sealing in its cavities, and powder coating on the outside, for the best possible protection against corrosion.

Ineos states that it is confident in the Grenadier's capabilities, after having put the model through a total of 1.7 million kilometres of testing during its development phase, which also saw it being tested on the Schockl mountain in Austria, and temperatures as low as -35 degrees Celsius as well as altitudes of over 2,500m.

The Ineos Grendaier makes use of a full box-section ladder frame chassis, with heavy-duty solid beam axles, a two-speed transfer case and up to three locking differentials. It is powered by a BMW-sourced 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol or diesel engine, which has been specifically calibrated for this application.

The Grenadier Station Wagon, Quartermaster pick-up, and Quartermaster Chassis Cab are built in the state-of-the-art Hambach factory in Moselle, France that was acquired by Ineos Automotive in January 2021, and which employs 1,700 people.