Scottish startup Munro Autos has unveiled its first mannequin, the MK_1, which it calls “the world’s most succesful all-electric 4×4”.
The off-road EV, set to enter small-scale manufacturing from 2023, is claimed to supply a 1000kg payload, 3500kg towing capability, and a 16-hour off-road obligation cycle on a single battery cost.
It’s thereby designed as a zero-emissions possibility for customers concerned in building, agriculture, mining, environmental, emergency rescue, distant infrastructure upkeep, and recreation “with out compromising on efficiency or functionality”, based on its maker.
“Intensely targeted on off-highway efficiency, reliability, ease-of-repair and longevity, the Munro is engineered to supply house owners and operators with many years of service,” it added.
The MK_1 can be priced in Britain from £49,995 ($A90,000) in five-door, five-seat, 130-inch wheelbase ‘Utility’ guise, with Munro claiming to carry a couple of deposits already, in addition to orders from the UK, Switzerland, St Lucia, and Dubai.
Whereas the primary batch can be hand-made subsequent 12 months, in 2024, Munro will transfer to a brand new purpose-built manufacturing facility in central Scotland, the place manufacturing is meant to scale to greater than 250 models per 12 months initially, and ramp to 2500 every year by 2027.
Munro claims will probably be the primary automotive producer to construct automobiles at scale in Scotland since Peugeot-Talbot closed its Linwood plant in 1981.
The specs
Munro chosen an axial flux electrical motor, which is claimed to weigh half as a lot as a extra widespread radial flux unit as a consequence of increased energy density. It’s positioned between the 2 front-seat occupants in entrance of the automobile’s bulkhead.
The Munro’s axial motor spins between 5000 and 8000rpm, a lot slower revolutions than is widespread. This negates the necessity for a discount drive, enabling drive to be taken on to the transmission switch case from the motor. By combining with a two-speed transmission, the motor can work at low speeds with better effectivity, Munro claims.
When the Munro is in high-gear Drive mode, lifting off the accelerator gives a level of regenerative braking. However in low-gear ‘Off-Street’ mode the regenerative braking is way more pronounced, enabling one-pedal driving.
The Munro encompasses a heavy-duty mechanical braking system utilizing non-vented versus vented discs which might change into clogged in terrain.
The Munro is obtainable with a alternative of two electrical motors, making 220kW and 280kW, and two battery packs with vitality capacities of 61kWh or 82kWh – the latter providing greater than 300km of claimed driving vary.
Whereas the 280kW model sprints to 100km/h in a claimed 4.9 seconds, it’s probably not a automobile that prioritises straight-line punch. Peak torque of 700Nm is barely out there as much as 50mph (80km/h), which boosts low-speed crawling and towing capability.
The battery pack includes 35 lithium NMC modules mounted in three heavy-duty aluminium bins beneath the automobile. This association “ensures it’s fast, handy, and cheap to interchange particular person battery modules if required”, Munro added.
“Along with your common electrical automobile, the battery is designed to final the lifetime of the automotive, so generally, prospects won’t ever have to fret about changing it. However as a result of the Munro is engineered to final a number of many years, we are going to both recondition or substitute the battery pack for patrons when the time comes,” stated head of powertrain Ross Anderson.
The Munro is obtainable with both 7kW or 22kW AC charging, in addition to CCS-type DC charging.
Munro claims at no level did it think about using a ‘skateboard’ chassis with two electrical motors. As a substitute, the precedence was to equip the Munro with a single, central-mounted electrical motor offering energy to a mechanical four-wheel-drive system.
“One of the simplest ways to drive off-road is to make sure that the identical quantity of torque is delivered to every wheel and that every one the wheels spin on the identical velocity. And irrespective of how intelligent your laptop is, you’re nonetheless going to have issues in the event you’ve obtained a cut up driveline within the automobile,” the corporate contends.
It sits on a galvanised metal ladder chassis constructed with 5mm thick metal. Munro builds its personal axles and makes use of a mix of aftermarket and “motorsport-derived elements” for the remainder of the mechanical driveline – by motorsport we imply off-road racing.
Off-road prowess is enhanced by an enormous 480mm floor clearance, and the claimed potential to wade by means of water as much as a depth of 800mm. The unconventional design permits 84- and 51-degree strategy and departure angles, plus a 148-degree break over angle.
Earlier than its international unveil, the MK_1 was subjected to an intensive two-year take a look at programme, tackling a few of Scotland’s most demanding situations in all climate (let’s be trustworthy right here, it was nearly definitely largely mud and rain!).
The physique is mounted to the chassis at eight factors. The corporate says whereas it initially outsourced manufacturing of the physique, the aluminium panels are actually laser-cut, shaped, and folded on-site earlier than being moved a couple of metres to the corporate’s paint store.
The MK_1 is designed to deal with a 1000kg payload and an ordinary Euro pallet within the load bay. There are additionally two front-side lockers designed to hold charging cables, bigger instruments, or moist climate gear.
The inside makes use of a lot of industrial switchgear, says Munro CEO Russell Peterson.
“The switches can be acquainted to anybody utilizing farming gear… they are often operated with gloves on, they’re absolutely waterproof, so with the hardwearing flooring and door surfaces, the entire automobile could be energy washed from waist top down,” Mr Peterson added.
“The switches are nearly unimaginable to interrupt, but when they get broken, they’re fast, simple, and cheap to interchange.”
The Munro is obtainable with a alternative of low- and high-power DC converters for operating ancillaries reminiscent of winches and light-weight bars. Along with two USB C sockets and two wi-fi charging pads, the MK_1 is supplied with two three-pin family sockets.
The dashboard encompasses a deletable double DIN display screen, appropriate with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It can be upgraded with a superior unit or changed with a UHF two-way radio.
By way of gross sales, Munro says it should choose a sequence of brokers to market the MK_1 however won’t set up a conventional vendor community. Every automobile will include a five-year/160,000km guarantee.
“We recognise and respect our prospects’ proper to restore and preserve their automobile, and their doing so won’t invalidate the guarantee,” the corporate added.
Background
Munro launched in 2019 with non-public funding offered by Mr Anderson and Mr Peterson, and an extra injection of capital was raised in late 2021.
“We had already taken measures to cut back our personal environmental footprints and had a whole lot of expertise driving our personal EV, and obtained fairly used to the moment torque supply,” remembers CEO Peterson.
“However the off-roader we have been driving by means of the Highlands was combustion-engined, and it was actually struggling on the steep climbs. So, we have been musing how significantly better it might be with an electrical motor.
“On the return journey, we stopped at a café in Braemar, the place a financial institution of 50kW fast chargers have been sitting empty and unused. Parked up close by was a big group of combustion-engined safari journey 4x4s of a kind which can be now not manufactured and must get replaced finally.
“It dawned on us that there was a niche out there for an electric-powered, four-wheel-drive, utilitarian workhorse. We envisioned a automobile with final, go-anywhere, off-road potential, unrestricted by road-derived underpinnings that restrict the all-terrain potential of autos such because the 4×4 pick-up vehicles which have come to dominate the market.”
On a aspect notice, we reckon this factor might need legs right here in Australia, significantly the mining sector the place low mileage and poor air flow are widespread elements…
