Munro Vehicles is getting ready to reveal what it calls the most capable all-electric 4x4 the world has ever seen. It's called the MK_1, and we'll get to see it on 5 December. For now, it has only released this one teaser image. The rest of the images you see here are of the prototype used to develop the car.
You might have missed our previous reports on Munro Vehicles, but here's the abridged version. The MK_1 was designed and engineered and will be built in the UK. It will be the first vehicle to enter volume production in Scotland in more than four decades.
If cars do indeed inherit characteristics from their country of origin, the Munro will be reliable and tough as nails. Since all EVs will shortly require an exterior noise to let pedestrians know they're coming, we're expecting this particular model to have a speaker system telling people to get out of the way. But perhaps without a polite tone.
The Munro is not meant to be a luxurious off-roader. Think of it as a previous-generation Land Rover Defender with an EV powertrain and all the luxuries removed. The manufacturer's marketing material makes that abundantly clear. According to Munro, the MK_1 is aimed at sectors like construction, agriculture, mining, forestry, mountain rescue, remote infrastructure maintenance, and leisure. It's an opportunity for all these industries to minimize their environmental footprint, which is particularly relevant given Europe's unforgiving approach to going electric.
It can transport a crew of five to remote locations while carrying a 2,200-pound payload and towing 7,700 lbs.
Munro also says it's "intensely focused on off-highway performance," which we read as "not built for long-distance journeys." To that end, Munro prefers quoting a 16-hour operating time on a single battery charge. If you really want to know, it can do 168 miles, including some highway driving.
We have some early details, and it seems that the car will be cheap. It uses a single electric motor producing 370 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Underneath, you'll find an old-school permanent 4x4 system with a two-speed transfer case. Thankfully, the charging is semi-modern. It can charge at up to 100 kW. Charging at a 22 kW home charger takes just three hours.
"This early sketch of the Munro MK_1 by our award-winning in-house 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 decarbonize their fleets," said Munro CEO Russell Peterson. "The Munro MK_1 will effortlessly go to places others can't reach, with bulletproof durability and ultra-low running costs. The Munro team and I can't wait to show the world the fully finished vehicle on December fifth."
