Scottish EV startup Munro Vehicles will soon reveal its first production vehicle, a rugged electric off-roader called the Mk1.
The global reveal of ‘the world’s most capable all-electric 4×4’ utility vehicle will take place on December 5 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the company has released a teaser sketch.
The modular construction of the vehicle allows customisation for specialist applications or ‘heavy-duty’ commercial use, and Munro is focused on making a 4×4 that is easy to own and built to last.
Munro Vehicles has already published indicative specifications and prototype photographs of the Mk1.
It says the Mk1 provides 280kW of power and 700Nm of torque, and uses an 80.1kWh battery with claimed range of 270km – though it hasn’t specified on which test cycle.
The Mk1 supports AC charging at up to 22kW and DC charging at up to 100kW, which means it can be charged from 15 to 80 per cent in 36 minutes at a DC charging station.
Off-road capability is a focus of this vehicle, intended to be used in tough forestry, mining, and agricultural terrains.
There’s a four-wheel drive system with a two-speed transfer box and locking differential, with the 4×4 boasting 45cm of ground clearance for the body and 29cm for the axle and a wading depth of 100cm.
Munro has designed the Mk1 as a rugged workhorse, with rigid axles front and rear, 3500kg of towing capacity, and a 1000kg payload.
The five-door, five-seater 4×4 uses a galvanised steel chassis and aluminium body panels.
“We decided early on not to reinvent the wheel. Straightforward and readily available components minimise production cost and provide owners with accessible means to maintain and repair their own vehicle,” said co-founder Ross Anderson.
A recent collaboration with Glasgow-based Wyre will see Munro Vehicles partner with the EV leasing and management platform to ship the EV to the US and Canadian markets.
“We see the Munro 4×4 EV as a serious and compelling opportunity for a wide range of our customers across the USA and one which will see us go from an initial order book of 50 vehicles next year to around 2,500 in 2025,” said Wyre managing director Rebecca Hansen.
“One particular US customer market we are targeting is the country’s huge electric utility sector where companies need to show their customers that they are taking the provision of EVs seriously in their own fleets. Oil and gas, mining and forestry industry customers are among those also on our radar.”
Production of the Munro Mk1 will begin in Glasgow at the end of the year, with the first shipments expected to begin in 2023.
Pricing will likely be confirmed at the launch but it is tentatively priced at £75,000 in the UK and US$98,500 in the US (A$132,584-146,142).
The company projects it will sell 50 units in 2023, rising to 500 in 2024 and 2,500 in 2025.
“This early sketch of the Munro MK_1 by our award-winning designer Ross Compton underlines our design commitment to build an all-terrain electric 4X4 engineered from the wheels up to provide unparalleled workhorse capability for commercial customers looking to decarbonise their fleets,” said Munro CEO Russell Peterson in a post on the company’s Instagram account.
