In 2019, a group of engineers in Glasgow, Scotland saw a hole in the off-road market. There are plenty of hybrids to choose from, and the Hummer EV, but there isn’t a true-blooded all-electric off-roader. Munro, an EV startup that’s just taking off, is developing the Munro Mark 1 – an off-road, purpose-built, future-proof 4×4 that will be headed to the states when full production starts.

The idea was to make an all-electric utility vehicle that could lend a hand to farmers, miners, foresters or even rescue teams without relying on pollutant heavy diesel fuel. Also available for the general public, the Mark 1 would be a perfect vehicle to take to Moab and scare all the Jeep folks. The Mark 1 has a payload of 2,205 pounds and a towing capacity of 7,716 pounds – all coming from a 280 kW powerplant that generates 376 horsepower.

To drive the “purpose-built” point home, the Mark 1 is permanently four-wheel drive, attached to a tough two-speed transfer case. The ground clearance is a staggering 17.7 inches, and an impressive wade depth of 39.4 inches – making unexpected obstacles a thing of the past. The range, being 168 miles, isn’t all that impressive for all-electric vehicles – but when a combined 2.7-ton curb weight and drivetrain are considered, it’s not something to scoff at. Though, it’s worth noting that while 2.7 tons seems heavy, it’s remarkably lighter than the Hummer EV’s 9,063 pounds and the Rivian R1S’s 7,650 pounds.

Additionally, Munro wanted the Mark 1 to not only be reparable for the average Joe, they also designed it to be fixed and/or upgraded easily – which is very different from most EV companies who actively discourage at-home maintenance. Tesla, for one, won’t even sell parts to the public – making the Munro Mark 1 a reliable workhorse that can take on anything.

“We decided early on that we weren’t looking to reinvent the wheel. We’ve used straightforward and readily available components to minimize the cost of production and provide owners with an accessible means to maintain and repair their own vehicles,” said Munro co. -founder Ross Anderson.

Currently in the prototype phase, the Mark 1 is already being reserved as a work vehicle in America. The brand has targeted industries in America, including farmers in Florida, gold miners in Nevada and oil rig workers in Texas. In order to take part in the EV tax credits designed to encourage domestic EV production, Munro will design the Mark 1 in the UK and then have them assembled in the US – only leaving the battery components to be figured out.

Since development was announced, the Scots behind it all received about 750,000 Euros in backing, which push the Munro Mark 1 to the production phase – scheduled to begin in early 2023. Though, in 2023, only 50 are said to be helped produced. By 2024 it will increase to 500, 2,500 by 2025 and then, by 2030, Munro plans to have 5,000 made per year.