This is the Munro Mk1, a new all-electric off-roader that’s born and bred in Scotland - and built for the tough stuff.
Munro, first launched in 2019, is Scotland’s only production car company.
In fact, it’s the first firm to have a bash at producing cars in Scotland since Peugeot-Talbot shuttered the doors of its plant in Linwood, Renfrewshire, way back in 1981.
And Munro founders Russell Peterson and Ross Anderson reckon they’ve spotted a gap in the market for a no-nonsense, go-anyway vehicle that has zero tailpipe emissions.
What’s more, Peterson and Anderson reckon the Mk1 will appeal to a wide spectrum of customers - from farmers and mountain rescue drivers, to affluent bankers in leafy Surrey.
Munro - named after any Scottish mountain taller than 3,000ft - doesn’t just talk about the electric range of the Mk1 in miles, they also describe it in hours.
The Mk1 can be had with a choice of two batteries - 61kWh and 82kWh - giving you a range of 190 miles, or 16 hours of off-roading, on a single change.
Power is also extremely healthy - up to 380 PS with the larger battery. And that particular Mk1 can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 4.9 seconds.
Anderson adds:
“Peak torque of 700Nm is available up to 50mph, which ensures excellent response off-road. It also means the Munro can effortlessly tow a braked trailer weight of up to 3500kg. Whether it’s a mini digger, a power generator or livestock that needs transporting, the Munro makes light work of it.”
The Mk1 has also been engineered so that you can replace individual battery modules as and when they run their course - which future-proofs the Mk1 to last ‘several decades’. Munro talks about the Mk1 potentially lasting 50 years.
When it comes to replenishing the battery, a DC ‘CCS’ is provided and means you can recoup the energy in as little as 30 minutes.
And then there’s the Mk1’s mud-plugging abilities.
A single, central-mounted electric motor provides power to a ‘robust, proven and easily maintained’ mechanical four-wheel-drive system.
You get 480mm of ground clearance, and the ability to wade through water up to a depth of 800mm.
There’s also 84- and 51-degree approach and departure angles, plus a 148-degree ramp breakover angle, giving the Munro the ‘ability to cope effortlessly with steep hills, heavily rutted terrain, craters and boulders’, says Munro.
And a spokesperson adds:
“It is, quite simply, the most capable production electric 4x4 on the planet.”
As Peterson explains, the Mk1 is unashamedly agricultural. The chassis is built with thick 5mm steel, rather than the 1.5mm steel you’ll see with other 4x4s.
You can expect a five-door, five-seat body as standard, as well as a 1,000 kg payload and the ability to load a standard Euro pallet in the back.
Peterson adds:
“Our customers should be able to throw things in the back without feeling bad.
“We’ve used thick plywood for the lining of the cargo area. It gives a nice definition between the steel and aluminium material, but more importantly, it’s tough and extremely hard wearing. To ensure the cargo stays secured, we’ve used aluminium tracks and fastenings, each of which is strong enough to hold 400 kg of weight in place.”
A central locking differential is standard, with front and rear locking differentials offered as options.
Meanwhile the entire interior is so tough you can power-wash it from the driver’s waistline down - and that includes the switchgear.
You might also consider the Munro a mobile cafe on wheels - there’s a three-pin socket on board that can power a kettle or microwave!
Meanwhile you also get modern creature comforts such as Android Auto and Google CarPlay.
The Munro Mk1 is priced from £49,995, with deliveries due to begin next year.
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