Munro MK_1 Pick-Up Debuts As Serious EV Off-Roader With 190-Mile Range

Scotland-based EV startup Munro Vehicles has unveiled its second vehicle, the MK_1 Pickup at the Fully Charged Live North 2023 show.

Following the debut of the all-electric 4x4 Munro MK_1 Truck in December 2022, the company is now expanding its lineup of electric 4x4s with the pickup truck version of its rugged first model.

Described as an ultra-capable, ultra-utilitarian vehicle, the Munro MK_1 Pick-Up targets customers operating in challenging sectors such as mining, construction, utilities, agriculture, and defense.

Unveiled in range-topping Performance guise with striking Munro yellow paint finish, the Munro MK_1 Pick-Up looks just like its Truck sibling up to and including the rear side doors. After that, it trades the Truck's closed cargo compartment for an open truck bed. 

It's not a particularly big bed considering that this is a crew cab body, and the tailgate is narrower than the bed. Still, Munro says the bed is easy to load and can accommodate a 2,315-pound (1,050-kilogram) Euro Pallet payload.

As for towing, the Performance model has a 7,716-lbs (3,500-kg) maximum braked towing capacity that enables the MK_1 Pick-Up to tow anything from farm implements and livestock to construction and disaster relief equipment, according to Munro.

As with the Munro MK_1 Truck, the Pick-Up variant features an 82.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack that enables a driving range of more than 190 miles (305 kilometers) on the WLTP cycle or up to 16 hours of off-road use. Munro says the battery can charge from 15 to 80 percent SoC in just 36 minutes using a 100 kW DC charger.

The battery pack powers an all-electric powertrain delivering 375 horsepower (280 kilowatts) and 516 pound-feet (700 Newton-meters) of instantly available torque in the range-topping Performance model. That's enough for a 0 to 60 mph sprint in 4.9 seconds. Munro will also offer a 295-hp (220-kW) powertrain and a choice of Utility and Range variants.

All models and variants come with a body-on-frame chassis, full-time 4x4 mechanical drivetrain with standard central locking differential, optional front and rear locking differentials, and a two-speed transfer case. Plus, the generous ground clearance of 19 inches (480 millimeters) enables a maximum water fording depth of 31.5 in (800 mm).

The Munro MK_1 Pick-Up will have the same starting price as the Truck in the UK – $62,000 (49,995 British pounds), excluding 23-percent VAT. The startup claims deliveries will start later this year. Munro Vehicles also says it has already secured more than 200 orders for the MK_1 Pick-Up and Truck.

According to the company, this should keep it busy for the next 1.5 years of production, which means it plans to build only about 130 vehicles a year. Even so, one has to take into account that Munro hasn't even reached the pre-production prototype stage yet. As Elon Musk once said, "Prototypes are easy, production is hard."