Specialist electric 4×4 vehicle startup Munro Vehicles has announced the next stage of its global business strategy after completing an 18-month accelerated durability off-road test program of the all-electric Series M. The testing has been conducted almost entirely off-road by the Scotland-based maker, having focused on task-specific objectives to meet the requirements of the brand’s customers in industries such as mining, defense, emergency response, and utilities as they transition to net zero.

The next stage is headlined by an executive appointment to power strategic growth, with Munro co-founders, CEO Russ Peterson and Head of Powertrain Ross Anderson, appointing Avinash Rugoobur as company Chairman. Rugoobur has held senior leadership positions with global automotive OEMs, including Arrival Ltd. and General Motors, and launched several enterprises, including Aviate Group Ltd. and Curve Tomorrow.

“We are confident that Avinash possesses the skill set, drive, and passion to build upon Munro’s success to date,” said Peterson. “Together, we will establish Munro as the global leader in sustainable specialist 4×4 vehicles built for the world’s toughest industries and exploit the $337 billion global electric SUV market, which is expected to grow to $13.9 trillion by 2030.”

Those numbers come from an analysis by Fortune Business Insights.

Scotland’s only production car company, Munro Vehicles was founded in 2019 by Peterson and Anderson to manufacture the Series M. Engineering the EV to be simple and low-cost to maintain, with extensive use of existing components, the approach is intended to ensure a superior total cost of ownership, with maximum uptime from a fully electric 4×4 that minimizes its footprint.

Munro is working with proven Tier One OEM suppliers to source highly reliable components, usually from the truck and bus sector. It is combining these companies, such as PPG, Amphenol, HEL Performance, SPAL Automotive, ABB, and Webasto, with its local Scottish supply chain, which includes Scot Seat, JetCut, and Wallace McDowall.

“The Munro Series M has been painstakingly designed to deliver class-leading, customer-centric, zero-emission off-road capability in the most demanding terrain and circumstances,” said Rugoobur. “There is a clear need for such a specialist vehicle from customers in industries such as agriculture, emergency response, defense, infrastructure, and mining, targeting net zero. And Munro holds a full and healthy $17 million order book for 246 vehicles until 2027.”

Munro believes the Series M is unique in that no production vehicle can match its combination of off-road capability, durability, and load-carrying capacity while still being driven on a standard car license. It is road legal, but the priority in development has been for its capability off-road, where it is said to exceed the performance of the most capable diesel off-road vehicles on gradients, breakover, ramp, and departure angles.

For off-roading, there are front center and rear locking differentials and 1:1.6/1:3.2 two-speed transfer box. The Truck has an 84° approach angle, a 148° brake-over angle, and a 51° departure angle.

“Our products have market-leading off-road attributes, an underlying platform that can be adapted to specialist applications, and a unique safety strategy designed to address the risks light vehicles face in extreme and unpredictable environments,” said Anderson. “By producing durable, long-lasting, and serviceable electric vehicles, Munro offers a clean alternative for sectors that traditionally rely on fuel-hungry 4x4s to operate.”

The company has already delivered first-edition trucks to strategically important customers in the construction, mining, and leisure industries.

The Series M is 4590 mm (180.7 in) long, 1812 mm (71.3 in) wide, and 2010 mm (79.1 in) tall, on a 3255-mm (128.1-in) wheelbase. Curb mass is 2450 kg (5400 lb).

Three body configurations are offered. The enclosed-bed Utility model can transport a fully equipped crew, the open-bed Truck combines space with cargo practicality, and the Chassis model gives buyers the freedom to create custom bodies to meet their mission-specific needs.

The Series M platform has coil-sprung live axles with optional diff locks to enhance articulation by forcing the opposite wheel down when one is raised, maximizing tire contact and maintaining ground clearance on uneven terrain. Aluminum body panels are composite-bonded to a steel structure, providing a compromise between weight and strength. Occupant protection is achieved through a combination of passive and active safety features, integrated into the vehicle’s design and construction.

Munro says that using a ladder frame chassis provides significant technical advantages for off-road use due to its robust construction, offering exceptional durability and strength to withstand harsh terrain and heavy loads. Well-designed with sufficient crossmembers, it delivers high torsional rigidity, crucial for maximizing suspension articulation and maintaining optimal traction on uneven surfaces. 5MM S355 structural steel is used in ladder chassis components for maximum frame rigidity and extension of product life.

The Series M is offered with a choice of two permanent-magnet axial-flux motor electric powertrains. The base M170 model produces 170 kW and 600 N·m (443 lb·ft) of torque for a 2250-kg (4960-lb) towing capability. The more powerful M280 variant musters 280 kW and 700 N·m (516 lb·ft) for a 3500-kg (7720-lb) towing capacity, giving it “a competitive advantage” over road-oriented electric 4x4s.

The EV’s 400-V battery pack architecture offers a balanced combination of cost-effectiveness, component availability, sufficient charging speed, and proven reliability. A banded prismatic battery-pack format enables space efficiency, improved thermal management, scalability, and energy density. It also simplifies manufacturing and gives packs more structural integrity.

Both models are powered by an 85-kW·h LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery pack and have a 170-mi (274-km) range and a 1050-kg (2315-lb) payload capacity. Top speed is 95 mph (153 km/h). Prices start at £63,000 + VAT.