Made in Scotland: The Munro MK1 EV 4X4

by Michael Satterfield - 12/05/2022

I had never heard of Munro Vehicles until a press release bounced into my inbox this morning, claiming that the new Munro MK1 is "the world’s most capable all-electric 4x4." That is a pretty big claim for a company that has only been around since 2019, plus the Scottish-built MK1 is supposed to start at just over $60,000 USD about half as much as the GMC Hummer EV that I recently drove. So if it can live up to its press, they might just have a winner.

Unlike the Hummer this Munro MK1 looks to be as utilitarian as they come, reminding me of the ill-fated Bollinger B1 & B2, plus it seems to be more the size of a Jeep Wrangler than a Hummer H1, which means it might actually be useful. The Bollinger connection makes sense as the head of design previously worked at Bollinger and seems to have brought along the same straightedge he used in his previous career to Munro. Still, I will say the Munro looks more finished and appears to even have roll-down windows. While (I assume) the passenger windows go down, it doesn't have the luxury of rear quarter windows and it looks like it uses an off-the-shelf digital dash. The blacked-out industrial design of the MK1 looks like it should be driven by a Bond villain, despite looking armor-plated, the aluminum body panels won't stop a Walther PPK.

The Munro is offered with a choice of two electric motors, 220kW and 280kW, and two battery packs, 61kWh, and 82kWh, the optimal combination of which can offer up to 190 miles of range. Like all electric trucks/SUVs, Munro lists a healthy payload and towing capacity, but they don't share what using the 2,200 lb payload and 7,700 lb towing capacity does to the range. As we have seen with the Ford Lighting, Hummer EV, and others, the range often drops in half, meaning using the full capabilities of the Munro MK1 might leave you with less than 100 miles of range on a full charge.

Munro was founded in 2019 by Russell Peterson and Ross Anderson and is named after a Scottish mountain. The concept for an electric off-road vehicle came while on a camping trip in the Highlands. The two noticed how many traditional 4x4s were struggling off-road, something that the instant torque of an electric motor could help with, and that most of the vehicles were no longer in production, meaning they would eventually need to be replaced.

Unlike many EVs, the Munro isn't on a cutting-edge skateboard architecture, instead, it uses a traditional ladder frame chassis and a single electric motor that sends power to the ground via a mechanical four-wheel-drive system.

I reached out to ask about US distribution and the company replied that they have plans to sell the Munro in America, instead of setting up a formal dealer network, the company has partnered with Wyre which will be launching the vehicles in the US in 2023, however, interested parties in the US can pre-order online through the Munro website. Each vehicle comes with a full five-year/100,000-mile warranty, which Anderson describes as “super flexible.”

The Munro MK1 officially launched today at an event in Edinburgh, and the company said they have already received several deposits for the Founders’ Edition, from the UK, Switzerland, St Lucia, and Dubai. Each Founders' Edition will be built by hand at the East Kilbride headquarters in 2023. In 2024, the company has plans to expand to a new production facility in central Scotland. Once in full production, the Munro plans to offer variants for the EU and US markets, including optional body styles.