3 minute read - 3rd November 2023
First Munro electric 4×4 leaves the production line
Munro Vehicles, an electric 4×4 manufacturer and Scotland’s only volume car company, has completed its first pre-production model. The first Series-M Utility, a hard top five-seater 4×4, has left the factory in East Kilbride 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. Munro has also secured a customer pipeline worth £68m.
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, bringing 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 2,500 by 2027.
Electric 4×4 manufacturer Munro has completed its first pre-production model and secured an order pipeline worth £68m. It intends to create an additional 300 jobs in Scotland by 2027 / Picture: Munro Vehicles
Munro says it aims to capitalise on a global market opportunity with the firm uniquely positioned to support customers operating in demanding sectors. These include agriculture, construction defence, disaster relief and forestry. Munro adds its Series-M will empower customers to de-carbonise their 4×4 vehicle fleets, without compromising on off-road performance, practicality, and durability.
Marcus Mackle, head of vehicle sales at Munro, said: “Witnessing the first pre-production Munro Series-M Utility roll off the line is a momentous moment. Both for Munro and Scotland, as the Series-M Utility is the first light vehicle to enter mass production since the Linwood car factory closed in 1981. While it represents an undeniably historic occasion, Munro’s focus is firmly on the future. With a healthy, two-year customer pipeline worth £68 million for the innovative and sustainability-focussed Munro Series-M Utility hard top and Series-M Truck open-bed, we can look forward with confidence.”
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.
Munro CEO and co-founder Russell Peterson, added: “Our customers spoke, we listened and we acted. Their feedback drove us to achieve even greater levels of innovation. This enabled us to create a highly versatile, sustainable and enduring electric 4×4 to help customers transition to net zero and protect the environment. After listening to our customers, we introduced numerous improvements. These included an adjustable steering column with steering wheel controls, plus a raft of ergonomic enhancements. A full suite of safety equipment, including airbags, ABS brakes, stability, and traction control, is also now offered.”
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.
The Munro Series-M is an electric-powered, four-wheel-drive workhorse that combines the 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.