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The Munro M280 is an all-electric utility 4×4 which is hugely capable off-road, offering a 1,000 kg payload, a 3.5 tonne towing capacity, and it’s manufactured in Scotland.
New vehicles are extremely expensive to develop and bring to market, and this is especially the case with electric vehicles due to their platforms, batteries, and all the associated technology such as the latest software. Large global manufacturers struggle to do all this, yet somehow a small start-up in Scotland has managed to create the Munro, an extremely capable all-electric 4×4 aimed at the commercial utility vehicle market.
Green Car Guide has driven the very first Munro Series-M M280 pick-up that has been delivered to a customer, Martin Griffiths, Fleet Mobility Lead Officer at Denbighshire County Council, who is masterminding a transition of the local authority’s fleet to electric vehicles, along with renewable energy infrastructure to charge the EVs.
The vehicle will be used for a wide variety of roles, including supporting countryside rangers with wildlife conservation, mountain rescue and tackling fires. So is the Munro fit for purpose for such duties?
The Munro is available in three body styles: Utility – a five-seater with a fully enclosed load area; Truck – a five-seater double-cab pick-up (as tested); and Chassis – a two-seat chassis cab for custom builds and specialist applications.
There are also two models, the Series-M M170 and Series-M M280. The main difference is that the M280 has more power and torque than the M170 – 280 kW and 700 Nm compared to 170 kW and 600 Nm. This translates to a quicker 0-62mph acceleration time of 6.0 seconds compared to 9.2 seconds, and a higher top speed of 95mph versus 80mph. Both models have a permanent magnet axial flux traction motor (just one motor rather than the dual motor set-up in most electric 4x4s). This motor produces high power and torque as well as being efficient, and the M280 has a dual inverter rather than the single inverter of the M170, which further improves power and torque output. The M280 also has a braked towing capacity of 3,500 kg compared to 2,250 kg for the M170.
The Munro features a ladder frame steel chassis which provides greater strength for heavy off-road use, and high torsional rigidity, essential for maximum effectiveness of the suspension. Lightweight aluminium body panels are composite-bonded to the chassis.
Both Munro models have 400V battery pack architecture and feature the same 88.32 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery pack (85kWh useable). LFP batteries are seen as having a stable phosphate chemistry, resulting in a longer battery life, and a better ability to function effectively in both hotter and colder conditions without significant degradation. LFP batteries also have superior thermal stability, meaning they’re less prone to thermal runaway, and they’re less likely to release oxygen when damaged or overcharged, which is a major factor in battery fires. LFP batteries also don’t contain cobalt, used in other lithium-ion batteries, which is a toxic material, and is often associated with ethical issues around its sourcing.
The Series-M M280 has a 3.5 tonne towing capacity, a 2,450kg kerb weight and a 3,500kg gross vehicle weight, which allows a 1,050 kg payload.
Watch a video of the Munro M280 on Instagram
The Munro Series-M M280 may look slightly reminiscent of the previous-generation Land Rover Defender and so it’s a natural assumption to expect the driving experience to be similar. However the Munro is different to drive in a number of ways. The most obvious change is the lack of a noisy diesel engine; like all EVs, the Munro makes progress in almost complete silence apart from a slight hum from the electric motor. There’s also no gear-changing or clutch to worry about, so it’s easier to drive, allowing operators to focus on negotiating tricky terrain.
The electric motor also means instant torque, and this is delivered in a controlled way when you press the accelerator, which gives the Munro more precision than a diesel 4×4 when negotiating challenging off-road conditions.
Another big difference is the ride quality. The Defender was obviously designed for off-road use, but its suspension didn’t deliver a particularly comfortable experience on rough surfaces. In comparison, the Munro, even with coil-sprung live axles, has more comfortable ride quality off-road.
One of the features of the last-generation Defender was its poor driving position, including limited room for your right arm. The Munro improves on this, and with its angled bonnet, has good forward visibility – which is essential for safe off-road driving.
One excellent element of the Munro’s design is its width: 1,812 mm. Unlike some larger 4x4s, this means that it’s not too wide for farm gates or tracks. It’s a similar story with its length – at 4,590mm long (with a 3,255mm wheelbase) it offers a good combination of space in the cabin and in the pick-up area, but it’s not too long to manoeuvre easily off-road.
You don’t need to worry about getting mud on expensive materials in the Munro’s cabin, because the interior is designed to be workman-like and easy to clean. However you still get a 9-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a selection of good old-fashioned and easy-to-operate physical controls. Gears are selected using buttons on the dashboard, and there’s an electric handbrake. The Munro features permanent mechanical four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer box, the lever for which sits where a gear lever would traditionally be found between the front seats.
During our test the Munro dealt with steep and rocky inclines as though they were tame green lanes, and it was the same story with mud and deep water. The Munro has front, centre and rear locking differentials. Diff locks mean that if one wheel on an axle is raised on uneven ground and loses grip, power is distributed to the wheel with better grip. The power is translated to the terrain via the high profile Goodyear Wrangler tyres with an aggressive tread pattern, which are a key factor in the Munro’s ability to devour whatever challenges the environment throws at it.
As important as tyres are for off-road work, you also need high ground clearance, which in the Munro is 480mm at the centre point. You also need minimal overhanging bodywork; the Munro has an 84° approach angle, a 51° departure angle and a 148° break-over angle. It also has an impressive 800mm wading depth. The battery is fully sealed, with water ingress sensors just in case, so potentially the Munro can tackle more than 800mm, but any vehicle is at risk of being carried away by this depth of water.
The Munro Series-M M280 has a ‘real-world’ electric driving range of 170 miles. The Munro hasn’t yet been tested for its WLTP range, but we’d estimate it to be between 170-200 miles. Munro says that this range translates to up to 16 hours of off-highway use between charges. Consumption is 2 miles/kWh, which isn’t as efficient as a typical electric car, but this is a specialist off-road utility vehicle.
The Munro has a maximum DC rapid charging rate of 130 kW, which results in a 15% to 80% charge time of 30 minutes. Virtually all electric vehicles start rapid charging at around their maximum charge rate, but then this drops off quickly; Munro has published a charge curve which shows that its battery charges at around the 130 kW maximum rate until the battery reaches 60-70% state of charge, which is unusual and impressive. The Munro can also AC charge at 6.6 kW. The charge socket is located at the rear left of the vehicle.
Ongoing development of EVs since the first-generation Nissan LEAF has resulted in significant progress with the thermal management of batteries, which is seen as critical to ensure long battery life. The Munro features in-house optimised thermal management of the battery pack to prevent overheating during heavy off-road use or rapid charging, and for efficient power delivery and charging in cold conditions.
The Munro features a bi-directional heat pump and a heat recovery system to use heat from the vehicle’s powertrain for cabin heating to minimise impact on the battery range. Heated seats are standard – a key item of equipment to reduce the use of heating and the resultant loss of battery range in cold weather – and an optional auxiliary heater is also available, particularly for very cold climates.
The Munro is available with vehicle to load capability, allowing the vehicle’s battery to power tools or other electrical equipment.
Watch a video of the Munro M280 on Instagram
The Munro Series-M M280 is priced at £82,006 excluding VAT and the M170 is priced at £69,662.08 excluding VAT. Standard features include full underbody protection from loose surfaces and impact, heavy-wear exterior paint for scratch resistance, full LED lighting (dust, water and shock-proof), a rear bench with individually heated seats, air conditioning, electric windows, remote central locking and 16-inch wheels. A range of options are available.
Green Car Guide has been immersed in the electric vehicle space for almost 20 years and over that time we’ve seen huge progress with new makes and models in an ever-expanding range of vehicle segments. But colleagues in industries such as utilities, forestry and the environmental sector have been asking us for a long time if there are any 4x4s designed for heavy duty commercial off-road use that are all-electric, to meet their requirements for zero tailpipe carbon emissions and no adverse impact on air quality. The answer to this question has been no – until now. Enter the Munro, which has been designed for the sort of use-cases above, and the vehicle has demonstrated that it is completely fit for purpose for such tasks. The Munro is incredibly competent at transporting people and equipment across challenging terrains, with zero tailpipe emissions.
Martin Griffiths from Denbighshire County Council, the owner and operator of the vehicle, says: “The Munro is an exceptionally capable vehicle which can get to every corner of our Country Park to support our Countryside Rangers with a wide variety of tasks. The company has provided excellent levels of service and we look forward to showcasing the capabilities of this electric 4×4 to our employees, the public, and to other prospective customers.”
But what about the question of how Munro, a small start-up company in Scotland, has managed to develop and manufacture an all-electric utility vehicle that has been so well received by its customers, when many global manufacturers seem to have struggled with similar projects? Russell Peterson, co-founder and CEO of Munro Vehicles, says “We have no legacy infrastructure, just a single focus on bringing a functional 4×4 utility vehicle representing good value for money to market, combined with a lean business model.” Prior to setting up Munro, Russell wasn’t involved in the automotive industry but was a software engineer – an area where some of the major OEMs seems to have struggled – and this experience seems to have been a useful asset for the company. Munro has succeeded with getting its electric 4×4 to market, impressively with around 80% of suppliers being UK-based, and the company has a healthy order book; the challenge now is how to scale up production to meet demand.
The Munro is awarded a Green Car Guide rating of 9 out of 10.
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