Fails to install GRUB on new Ubuntu install from USB stick

Spent 2 days trying to build a new machine. Tried redownloading the ios to ensure it is correct and 64-bit, but each time the build fails to install GRUB and also, when exploring after EFI, the directory is empty.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.10
Package: ubiquity 20.10.13
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.8.0-25.26-generic 5.8.14
Uname: Linux 5.8.0-25-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs zunicode zavl icp zcommon znvpair
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu50
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckMismatches: ./pool/main/u/ubiquity/oem-config_20.10.13_all.deb
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CasperVersion: 1.455
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Fri Feb 5 19:12:25 2021
InstallCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed maybe-ubiquity quiet splash ---
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 20.10 "Groovy Gorilla" - Release amd64 (20201022)
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_GB.UTF-8
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 LC_NUMERIC=C.UTF-8
RebootRequiredPkgs:
 linux-image-5.8.0-41-generic
 linux-base
 linux-image-5.8.0-25-generic
 linux-base
 linux-base
SourcePackage: grub-installer
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)