Designed and built in Britain, the electric 4×4 Munro is the first light vehicle to enter production in Scotland in more than four decades.
Munro Vehicles is a manufacturer of all-electric 4x4s, Scotland’s only volume production car company, and they have unveiled their first vehicle, the Munro Mk_1. Designed, engineered, and built in Britain, the Munro MK_1 is the world’s most capable all-electric 4×4, born off-road to navigate the most challenging terrain and operating for up to 16 hours on a single battery charge.
The Munro combines a state-of-the-art 280kW electric powertrain to ensure zero tailpipe emissions, with a proven, robust, simple-to-maintain mechanical driveline that delivers uncompromised off-road ability. The Munro’s unique attributes make it an ideal choice for those seeking to minimise their environmental footprint in numerous sectors including construction, agriculture, mining, environmental, emergency rescue, remote infrastructure maintenance, and recreation without compromising on performance or capability.
Capable of effortlessly transporting a crew of five to the most rugged locations, accommodating an 1000kg payload and 3500kg towing capacity, the Munro represents the ultimate, sustainable, utilitarian, off-road workhorse. Intensely focused on off-highway performance, reliability, ease-of-repair and longevity, the Munro is engineered to provide owners and operators with decades of service.
Priced from £49,995 (excluding VAT) in five-door, five-seat, 130-inch wheelbase Utility guise, Munro has already received deposits for several Munro MK_1s that it will hand-build next year. Orders have come from locations across the globe including the UK, Switzerland, St Lucia, and Dubai. Several pre-sale agreements have been reached with fleet operators in key industries.
In 2024, Munro will expand from its current headquarters in East Kilbride to a new purpose-built factory in central Scotland, where production will scale to more than 250 units per year initially, leading to the creation of 300 new jobs. The new site will eventually produce 2,500 vehicles per annum.
Munro is the first automotive manufacturer to build cars at scale in Scotland since Peugeot-Talbot closed its Linwood plant in 1981, which the Rootes Group established in 1963.
Born off-road, born electric
The company was founded in 2019 by Russell Peterson and Ross Anderson, with Peterson assuming the CEO role and Anderson appointed Head of Powertrain. The idea, which is named after a Scottish mountain that exceeds a height of 3000 feet, came to Peterson and Anderson during an off-road camping trip in the Highlands.
Uncompromising powertrain choice
After extensively researching the market, Munro selected an axial flux electric motor.
Choosing an axial flux motor gives significant critical advantages over a radial flux unit. Also known as a ‘pancake’ motor, the compact nature of the axial flux motor enables weight to be reduced by half – from 80kg to 40kg in the case of the Munro – compared with a radial flux motor. It also enables the unit to be located between the two front-seat occupants in front of the vehicle’s bulkhead. This results in a near 50/50 front/rear weight distribution, which enhances agility off-road.
In addition, while most electric motors spin up to 15,000rpm and thus require a reduction drive, the Munro’s axial motor spins between 5,000 and 8,000rpm. This relatively low rotational rate negates the need for a reduction drive, and the additional weight and complexity it brings, by enabling drive to be taken directly to the transmission transfer case from the motor. By combining with a two-speed transmission, the motor can work in its ‘happy place’, where it performs with a much greater level of efficiency than a radial flux motor at low speed.
The Munro also features a heavy-duty mechanical braking system. Utilising non-vented as opposed to vented discs avoids any potential drop-off in performance due to mud clogging the ventilation spaces within the discs.
Exemplary range and power
The Munro is offered with a choice of two electric motors, 220kW and 280kW, along with the option of two battery packs, 61kWh and 82kWh, affording an optimum range of up 190 miles. This allows the Munro to operate off-road for up to 16 hours on a single battery charge.
The vehicle’s battery pack comprises 35 state-of-the-art Lithium NMC battery modules mounted in three heavy-duty aluminium boxes underneath the vehicle. This arrangement ensures it is quick, convenient, and inexpensive to replace individual battery modules if required. A fully integrated heat pump-based thermal management system bolsters efficiency, and the Munro’s battery pack is guaranteed to deliver 80 per cent of its original energy capacity for at least eight years and 100,000 miles.
The Munro is offered with a choice of two AC charging options, 7kW to replenish the battery overnight, and 22 kW, which provides a full charge in around three and a half hours. An industry-standard DC CCS charger is also provided, enabling the battery to be replenished in just over 30 minutes.
Every Munro is geared for torque, with a top speed of 80mph, and the 280kW Performance version can surge to 62mph in a mere 4.9 seconds. However, the focus of the vehicle is firmly on utility, workability, and superior off-road drivability, as Anderson reiterates.
Engineered for best-in-class off-road ability
Munro was determined to equip the vehicle with a state-of-the-art electric powertrain. But at no point did company founders Peterson and Anderson consider using a ‘skateboard’ chassis with two electric motors, one to drive each set of wheels. Instead, the priority was to equip the Munro with a single, central-mounted electric motor providing power to a robust, proven and easily maintained mechanical four-wheel-drive system.
The vehicle’s off-road prowess is further enhanced by 480mm ground clearance, and the ability to wade through water up to a depth of 800mm. Equally impressive 84- and 51-degree approach and departure angles, plus a 148-degree ramp breakover angle, give the Munro the ability to cope effortlessly with steep hills, heavily rutted terrain, craters and boulders. It is, quite simply, the most capable production electric 4×4 on the planet.
The Munro sits on a galvanised steel ladder chassis, designed, engineered, and built at the company’s HQ. Constructed with 5mm thick steel – compared with 1.5mm thick steel used in many 4X4s – the Munro’s chassis has been developed to provide the ultimate combination of strength, robustness, and ease of repairability.
Munro builds its own axles and uses a combination of aftermarket and motorsport-derived components for the rest of the mechanical driveline. Parts including the linkage for the coil over suspension, radius arms and steering bar have all been developed by UK-based 4×4 competition specialists. They are designed to deliver optimum performance even under the most gruelling conditions. A central locking differential is standard, with front and rear locking differentials offered as options.
A product of its environment
The Munro MK_1 launch model is the third iteration of the project. The Munro was developed in the Scottish terrain from which it takes its name. Before its global unveil, the vehicle was subjected to an intensive two-year test programme, tackling some of Scotland’s most demanding conditions in all weathers.
Hugh Roberts, director of the Far by Four off-road driving and training company, is assisting in the development of the Munro. A qualified British Off Road Driving Association (BORDA) instructor, Roberts provides training throughout Scotland and his clients include Scottish Mountain Rescue and Scottish Coastguard.
The electric motor also bestows further advantages on operators. The near-silent driving experience is a lot more pleasant to live with than a noisy diesel engine. The Munro is also completely free of vibration, which eases operator and passenger fatigue, especially on long and arduous shifts.
Source: Munro Vehicles
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