If you have never heard of the Monro it is because it has never imported an SUV to the U.S. In fact, there has never been a Scottish-made vehicle sold here. Until now. Munro Vehicles will be importing its Munro ML-1 4×4 EV to the U.S. in 2023. 

Partnered with American distributor Wyre, Munro has laid out an ambitious plan for its small SUV EV. What does “munro” mean? It is a word in Scotland for a mountain over 3,000 feet high.

How off-road capable is the Munro SUV?

Just looking at the images, you can see that Munro has extreme capabilities. The high stance with plenty of space for wheel jounce, ground clearance at almost 19 inches, simple aluminum body, extreme approach angle at 84 degrees, and departure angle at 51 degrees, says it all. 

The Munro SUV features an 80.1 kWh battery with 168 miles of range. It can go for 16 hours of off-road excursions before needing a charge. With a 101-kW maximum charge rate, it comes in at the lower end of the competition. The battery powers a single 371 hp motor with 516 lb-ft of torque, spinning solid axles sourced from the Land Rover Defender. 

What’s the Munro towing capacity and payload?

Coming in at 5,500 lbs, the body-on-frame SUV can go zero-to-60 mph in 4.9 seconds. Towing capacity is 7,700 lbs, along with a 2,200 payload rating. It has a top speed of 85 mph. The mechanical four-wheel drive spins a two-speed transfer case that features a locking diff. Options include front and rear anti-roll bars, undercoating, a front bull bar, a front winch, and electric diff locks for both front and back. 

Currently, Munro is finishing the certification process for use on public roads in the U.S. It is advertising and marketing the 4×4 EV mostly to fleet customers. Munro touts its encompassing warranty, ability to update software remotely, parts distribution, hardware upgrades, and ease of maintenance and modularity. “Off-highway performance is our first design priority, rely on mechanical components that have stood the test of time,” Munro says in a statement. 

When will Munro start delivering the SUV?

Three trims are available, Core, Utility, and Tailored. Paint finishes include gloss, satin metallic, and Raptor. Basic colors include Gray, green, white, black, and yellow. An expanded list of colors is available with the Tailored package. 

Munro started in 2019 as All Terrain All Electric. The ML-1 has been under development since 2021. It plans on launching the SUV next month, with deliveries scheduled for March 2023. As we’ve seen virtually every startup EV maker has to push back launch (just look at Tesla’s record). We’ll be a little surprised if this happens. However, we’re anxious to test drive a Munro for ourselves to see how it fares with the current crop of Rivian, Lordstown, et al trucks.