Following last year’s reveal of what it calls “the world’s most capable all-electric 4×4”, Scottish electric vehicle (EV) startup Munro Vehicles has revealed an equally tough pickup variant.
Similar in design and capabilities to the MK_1 SUV, the simply named MK_1 Pick-Up gains an open rear bed capable of housing a Euro-size pallet.
The pickup can carry 1050kg and tow up to 3500kg in its top Performance specification, signified by the yellow body colour.
There will be the option of two powertrains: a 220kW/600Nm electric motor in Utility and Range variants, and a 280kW/700Nm motor in the range-topping Performance.
In both configurations, power is sent through a two-speed transfer-case gearbox with a low-range gear and central locking differential.
The MK_1 also features live axles front and rear.
Power comes from a 61.2kWh or 82.4kWh battery, depending on the variant.
According to Munro, the heavy-duty pickup does the 0-100km/h sprint in just over five seconds in Performance guise.
The 82.4kWh battery of the Performance and Range trims can go from 15 to 80 per cent charge in 36 minutes when plugged into a 100kW DC charger.
The range for this larger battery is between 245-306km depending on terrain and can operate off-road for up to 16 hours on a single battery charge.
Munro is initially targeting heavy industries such as mining, construction, agriculture, and defence for its vehicles, hoping to aid customers in meeting their decarbonisation targets among their commercial fleets.
Prices for the pickup start from £49,995 (AU$93,600), and the Performance is expected to be priced similarly to the same specification of the original truck which is £69,995 (AU$131,000).
Deliveries are set to commence in early 2024 and Munro has already recorded more than 200 orders, which fulfils its production capacity until 2025.
“This represents a significant global market opportunity and one which, with our financial partners, we are poised to fully exploit as we take the next strategic step and move towards the pre-production prototype stage,” said Munro CEO and Co-Founder Russell Peterson.
Munro says that three of these orders are from Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) 100 companies and 10 from FTSE 250 companies.
Speaking on Munro’s philosophy of creating vehicles intended for 50 years of service, Mr Peterson said, “Our vehicles are designed and engineered without compromise from clean sheet principles unimpeded by any existing architecture.”
“The result is a rugged construction created for decades of service delivering ultimate, go-anywhere, off-road ability,” he added.
Munro will move to a new purpose-built factory near Glasgow, where production is intended to scale to more than 250 units per year initially and ramp to 2500 per annum by 2027.
The MK_1 and Pick-up will be the first light vehicles manufactured in Scotland in over 40 years, after Peugeot-Talbot closed its Linwood plant in 1981.
