Scottish Startup Targets US With Electric SUV

Yet another contender in the realm of UTV-SUV hybrids has plans to launch an ambitious electric off-roader here next year. Munro Vehicles, a Scottish startup, is building a smallish, boxy SUV that it says will go on sale here next year. It’s about as rudimentary as they come, and some reports say Munro is aiming it at industrial operations to start off. That is in part because the company is still working on getting the rig certified for road use.

Called the Mark 1, Munro’s SUV comes with the usual roster of lofty claims about power and range. According to company literature, it will have 376 hp, 517 lb.-ft. of torque, and 168 miles of range. It’s also apparently capable of 100kW of DC charging, and can go from 15 percent charge to 80 percent charge in less than 40 minutes under the right conditions.

The electric powertrain feeds a traditional 4x4 drivetrain, with a two-speed transfer case, solid axles front and rear, and locking differentials. Munro claims a 2,200-pound payload, and says the Mark 1 can fit a pallet in the rear cargo area. It also says the vehicle will tow an astounding 7,700 pounds. Lastly, the company says the Mark 1 uses easily sourced suspension, drivetrain, and brake parts to make fixing it inexpensive and simple, though it doesn’t say who the parts suppliers are.

Obviously, getting this thing certified for street use in the US is going to be an enormous hurdle, but even if it only ever appears as an off-highway vehicle, it makes a compelling case for a big farm or hunting application.

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