A Scottish start-up by the name of Munro Vehicles has taken the wraps off an outlandish new vehicle called the MK 1. It’s a battery-electric off-roader which is set for a 2023 release, and the headline stats are very impressive.
The company says the MK 1 offers a payload figure of 1000kg, braked towing capacity of 3500kg and up to 16-hours of driving while deployed on low-speed off-road duties on a single charge.
It comes powered by a choice of two electric motors producing 220kW of power in the base model, increasing up to 280kW in the flagship, with maximum torque figures standing at 700Nm, with the range-topper sprinting from 0-100km/h in a claimed 4.9 seconds.
The company says that using axial flux motors – rather than the traditional radial flux motors you’ll find in most EVs – helps to reduce their weight by 50 per cent – from 80kg down to 40kg a piece – and work more efficiency at lower revs than their counterparts.
These motors also negate the need for a reduction drive, with power making its way directly to the wheels via a two-speed transmission and transfer case.
Power comes supplied by a choice of 61kWh and 82kWh modular batteries that are designed to be easy to remove and replace, translating to a maximum range of 305km, which the company says translates to 16-hours of off-road driving on a single charge.
In terms of its off-road abilities, the MK 1 rides on a steel ladder chassis and features coil-over suspension and a centre differential lock as standard, while front and rear locking differentials are also available.
The MK 1 offers 480mm of ground clearance and has a wading depth rated up to 800mm, while the approach and departure angles stand at 84 and 51 degrees respectively, and the ramp break-over angle is a claimed 148 degrees.
Munro’s CEO, Russell Peterson, spoke about the reason for opting for a single, central-mounted powertrain, saying:
“The best way to drive off-road is to ensure that the same amount of torque is delivered to each wheel, and that all the wheels spin at the same speed. No matter how clever your computer is, you’re still going to have problems if you’ve got a split driveline in the vehicle.”
Munro says the MK 1 will be hitting the road sometime in 2023, with prices starting from 49,995 pounds – the equivalent of AU$90,500 for the 250 units it aims to produce each year.
The company says it is hoping to scale up production to around 2500 units per year if the MK 1 is well-received with the buying public.
