Founded in 2019 by Russell Peterson and Ross Anderson, Munro Vehicles is an electric 4×4 startup that’s slated to soon release what it’s touting as the “world’s most capable all-electric 4×4” with the Munro MK_1. After spending the last four years developing the go-anywhere EV, Munro is preparing to begin production, however, before it does, it’s giving the public an early glimpse at its forthcoming 4×4.
Designed as a utilitarian workhorse with the go-anywhere capabilities of a high-performance pickup, Munro’s Mark 1 is powered by a state-of-the-art electric powertrain with a permanent-magnet axial flux motor that cranks out 280kW (376hp) and 516.3ft-lbs of instantly available torque. The motor draws from a battery with a useable capacity of 80.1kWh that translates to around 170 miles of mixed use driving or up to a whopping 16 hours of non-highway use. What’s more, the battery’s 100-kW DC Fast Charging capabilities enable it to receive a 15% to 80% charge in just 36 minutes while a complete recharge can be achieved in around three hours.
The Munro Mark 1’s immense torque also affords it a 2,200-pound payload and an even more impressive towing limit of over 7,700lbs. Engineered to be used for at least half a century, the Mark 1 also sports a best-in-class mechanical 4×4 driveline with coil over suspension, radius arms, a two-speed transfer box, a lockable differential, and rigid axles. What’s more, the MK_1 also provides enough space to accommodate a crew of five, plus a host of gear. And, while designed and built in Britain, the Munro will also represent the only production car built in Scotland in more than four decades.
Munro Vehicles plans to build 50 Mark 1 examples in 2023 before moving the operation to a new purpose-built site on the outskirts of Glasgow in 2024, at which time production will increase to 250 units annually, before eventually ramping up to 2,500 units a year by 2027. Pricing for the Munro MK_1 will start at £49,995 (~ $60,900).
