Munro Vehicles has announced that its first pre-production model, the all-electric Series-M 4×4 Utility (hard top), leaves the factory in East Kilbride.
The first vehicle has been manufactured just ten months after Munro unveiled the MK_1 prototype model in Edinburgh in December 2022.
The start of manufacturing for Munro denotes a significant moment in British automotive history as the company initiates the return of light vehicle mass production to Scotland for the first time since the closure of the Linwood car plant in 1981.
The roll-out of the Series-M Utility signifies the next phase of Munro’s strategic vision to expand its production facilities and grow its workforce, and bring 300 new jobs to the region by 2027. Achieving scale-up will allow Munro to increase production from 50 vehicles over the next twelve months, to 200 units per annum and 2500 by 2027.
Munro’s roadmap will enable it to capitalise on a global market opportunity. The company, which has been named as a finalist in the Fully Charged awards for Best innovative EV Manufacturer, is uniquely positioned to support customers operating in demanding sectors. These include agriculture, construction defence, disaster relief and forestry. The Munro Series-M will empower customers to de-carbonise their 4×4 vehicle fleets, without compromising on off-road performance, practicality, and durability.
The Series-M range was forged during an intensive period of development that pushed the vehicle to the limit in the unforgiving Scottish terrain that inspired the company’s name. Comprehensive feedback was collated during an extensive customer test drive programme.
The transition to superior body panelling ensures components can be more easily replaced. This further bolsters Munro’s philosophy of engineering out obsolescence to create all-electric 4×4’s capable of fifty years of environmentally friendly, zero tailpipe-emission service.
At the rear of the vehicle, an ‘exoskeleton’ mounted on the hardtop of the Utility specification models enables easy mounting of equipment. This is wholly in keeping with Munro’s determination to create a versatile all-electric 4×4 with an array of options to meet a wide range of diverse customer needs.
The introduction of a more durable, longer-lasting LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery pack provides a faster 30-minute, 130kW rapid charging time. Munro has also significantly improved the thermal efficiency of the vehicle. Waste heat, scavenged from the drivetrain, can now be used to heat the cabin.
Combined with more effective sound-deadening measures, the Munro Series-M makes for a more comfortable travelling experience, whether it is being driven on tarmac for a range of up to 200 miles or traversing the most challenging off-road terrain in the world that it was designed to conquer.
The Munro Series-M is a ground-breaking electric-powered, four-wheel-drive workhorse that combines the rugged reliability and repairability of a full-time 4×4 mechanical drivetrain with a state-of-the-art electric powertrain, ensuring zero tailpipe emissions. The vehicle is offered in ‘standard’ M170 170kW and ‘high-power’ M280 280kW guises and in Utility (hard top) and Truck (open-bed) configurations.
More than 250 pre-orders for both the Utility and Truck models have been received, affirming that Munro’s vehicles are precisely what the market needs, particularly in sectors such as mining, construction, utilities, agriculture, and defence, where radical solutions are required to enable operators to meet their decarbonisation targets.
Source: Munro Vehicles
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