Scottish EV start-up Munro Vehicles looks to make a muddy splash with its upcoming Mark 1 all-electric off-road truck. At first glance, this 4×4 EV looks like a Humvee, a Wrangler, and a 1980s Land Rover had a three-way and the result is a 2.7-ton behemoth built to handle anything off the beaten path. Following a recently signed sales agreement, Munro intends to bring this EV to the US, if and when it reaches full production.
Munro Vehicles is a fairly young start-up in the EV world and is certainly new to us. The company was founded in 2019 in Glasgow, Scotland, and focused on delivering performance and capability to EV enthusiasts who are specifically interested in off-roading. Per its website:
Mass-manufactured, road-going vehicles are designed to a different set of principals; we focus on off-highway performance, reliability and longevity. Our aim is to see vehicles that are maintained over decades and once again viewed as assets – that just happen to be electric!
Over the past 3+ years, Munro has been developing its first 4×4 EV called the Mark 1, keeping the public abreast of its development process, which currently sits in the prototype phase. The start-up received 750,000 euros in pre-seed funding this past April to help get the Mark 1 closer to scaled production, which is scheduled to begin in 2023.
As Munro works toward that pivotal point for all start-ups, it has already piqued the interest of several industries in the US and already has the sales team in place to secure those orders.
Munro’s 4×4 EV could help US farmers, miners, and forestries
As previously mentioned, Munro’s Mark 1 off-road EV is still in its prototype phase, but it is touting some heavy-duty specs. It will sit atop a high-strength fully galvanized steel chassis, complemented by aluminum body panels.
The 4×4 EV has seating for five and will include heated seats in the front and water-resistant, washable vinyl throughout. It offers a payload capacity of 1,000 kg (2,205 pounds) and a towing capacity of 3,500 kg (7,716 pounds). Here are some other pertinent specs:
- Electric Motor: 280 kW (376 hp), 700 Nm
- Permanent four-wheel drive
- Battery Capacity: 80.1 kWh (useable), liquid conditioning (heating and cooling)
- Range: 168 miles mixed driving (including highway), 16 hours off-highway
- Acceleration: 0-60 mph in under 5 seconds
- Approach/Departure Angles: 88/70 degrees
- Charge Rates: 100 kW (DCFC/CCS), 22 kW (AC/Type 2)
- Charge Times: 15-80% (DCFC), 36 minutes / 15-100% (AC/Type 2), 3 hours
- Ground Clearance: 45 cm (17.7 in) body and 29 cm (11.4 in) axle
- Wading Depth: 100 cm (39.4 in)
Autocar was the most recent outlet to cover Munro’s upcoming 4×4 EV and shared details of its recently signed sales agreement to bring the Mark 1 to the US. EV sales, leasing, and distribution specialist Wyre is officially onboard to assist Munro and now has exclusive sale and distribution rights for Munro’s 4×4 EV.
According to the report, Wyre is already targeting customers who could best utilize the Mark 1’s off-road capabilities, including Canadian forestry operations, farmers in Florida, oil fields in Texas, and gold mines in Nevada.
Wyre is also planning knockdown vehicle kits of the Mark 1, allowing the EV to be shipped from the UK and assembled in the US, potentially qualifying it for federal tax credits under revised terms in the recently signed Inflation Reduction Act. However, battery assembly plays a huge factor in those qualifications too. Plus, its current price exceeds the $80k limit to qualify as an electric truck. These are two major factors Munro and Wyre will need to figure out.
Although an appetite for this rugged 4×4 EV might already be growing here in the states, Munro’s production ramp-up will be slow at first. The start-up is only targeting 50 units when production begins next year, and half of those will be right-hand driving to be sold in the UK.
The start-up said it is aiming to build another 500 EVs in 2024, 2,500 in 2025, and 5,000 annually by 2030. The starting price of the Munro Mark 1 4×4 EV will be around £75,000 (~$87,000).
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