A new electric 4×4 from Scotland is designed to be used as a sustainable vehicle in sectors such as mining and forestry.
Scottish EV start-up Munro Vehicles will unveil its first car, the Mk1, on 5 December – a car that, it claims, is the world’s most capable all-electric 4×4.
To be launched in Edinburgh, the 4×4 is conceived as an electric alternative to the Land Rover Defender. It is designed for use in sectors such as construction, mining, forestry, mountain rescue and agriculture in various worldwide locations, including in Canadian forestry and Texan oil fields.
The Mk1 will be the final production version of the running prototype that Munro first showed in 2021 and started testing later that year.
Said to be capable of operating for up to 16 hours on a single charge, the Mk1 has a range of 270km, with a 1000kg payload and 3500kg towing capacity making it competitive with the Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial.
The Mk1 has been designed to be as reliable and sustainable as possible, with a focus on ease of repair and the ability to provide owners with “decades” of use with low maintenance costs – something that has been achieved through extensive use of existing components.
Munro CEO Russell Peterson said: “This early sketch of the Munro Mk1 by our award-winning in-house designer Ross Compton underlines our design commitment to build an all-terrain electric 4×4 engineered from the wheels up to provide unparalleled workhorse capability for commercial customers looking to decarbonise their fleets.”
Currently available for pre-order in the UK, the £75,000 (AUD$132,000) Mk1 will be offered in US markets from 2023 as part of Munro’s partnership with EV sales, leasing and distribution specialist Wyre.
Peterson said: “North America is a key growth market for Munro and we’re pleased to be able to partner with Wyre to realise our ambitions ahead of our original timeline.
He added: “We’re dedicating half of our 2023 production to left-hand-drive vehicles developed specifically for the US market, which Wyre will deliver to customers throughout the year.”
The Scottish marque plans to produce 50 cars in 2023, half of which will be left-hand drive, with further plans to produce 500 in 2024 and 2500 annually by 2027.
Joining East Lothian-based Raptor Sports Cars as Scotland’s only car makers, Munro plans to transition manufacturing to a purpose-built site near Glasgow, Scotland in 2024, allowing for the creation of 300 new jobs.
Jonathan Bryce