Scottish start-up, All Terrain All Electric (ATAE) will soon launch a pure-electric 4x4 which it hopes will serve as an economical and reliable workhorse for the UK’s farmers, plugging the gap left by the previous generation Land Rover Defender.
It’s called the Munro Mark 1 and, like all the best rough-and-tumble off-roaders, it’s built on a simple ladder chassis and features live front and rear axles, permanent four-wheel drive, locking differentials and two-speed transfer case.
However, unlike competitors who have created similar vehicles such as the Bollinger B1 and the new electric GMC Hummer, ATAE tried to use existing brake and suspension parts, sourced from OEMs within the UK wherever possible, rather than designing new units. The body and the chassis, for example, are both sourced from Ibex Automotive in Yorkshire.
The benefits of this principle are two-fold. First, ATAE says its parts-bin engineering means the Munro will be easy to maintain, as all of its parts are readily available. Second, it helps to minimise the car’s carbon footprint and support the UK economy.
Ross Anderson, Co-founder of ATAE said: “We decided early on that we weren’t looking to re-invent the wheel. We’ve used straightforward and readily available components to minimise the cost of production and provide owners with an accessible means to maintain and repair their own vehicle. We hope that our vehicles will last longer, making them better for the environment than most other ‘consumable’ vehicles on the market.”
The Munro Mark 1’s powertrain features a 52kWh battery pack and a permanent-magnet AC motor with 212bhp and 350Nm of torque which, under normal driving conditions provides a maximum range of 150 miles.
However, ATAE says the battery will go further when driving at low speeds, such as plodding through a field. DC rapid charging also comes as standard, meaning the battery can be topped up to 80 percent capacity in just 30 minutes.
Inside, the Munro will feature a wipe-down dashboard with chunky buttons and an optional infotainment system. The 4x4 will also have a maximum payload of 1,000kg and more than 1,250 litres of luggage space, which the company says is enough for a full-sized pallet.
Buyers will also be able to spec a range of optional extras, including roof racks, underbody protection panels, upgraded suspension and larger off-road tyres. ATAE says it will even build a six-wheeled version on request.
ATAE will finish its first prototype later this year, which will then embark on a 12-month global testing programme. The first customer demonstrations are also scheduled for this year, with orders opening in the summer and deliveries set to arrive in early 2022.
The production models will be assembled by hand at the firm’s purpose built factory in Glasgow. ATAE also has no plans to launch a dealer network, as it says that would increase the price of each model. Instead, sales and aftercare will be handled by an online platform.
What do you make of the Munro Mark 1? Let us know in the comments section below…
Tech updates to Mazda’s family favourite have certainly helped inside, but the new 2.5-litre petrol engine and auto gearbox combination is flawed. You can only opt for this powertrain in top-spec GT Sport trim so it’s pricey, but it doesn’t perform too well and lacks refinement. Quality, practicality and kit are still good, though.
The Mazda CX-5 family SUV is yet to adopt turbos on its petrol engines, so don’t expect much when it comes to electrification of the brand’s big seller. Of course, shunning turbocharging was a conscious decision for Mazda, while the brand is forging ahead with electrification elsewhere, with its fully-electric MX-30 SUV.
It’s a curious choice, then, that this new-for-2021 CX-5 features a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre petrol engine, which is available in the UK line-up for the first time. It’s paired exclusively with four-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic gearbox, and only comes in top-spec GT Sport trim.
This means a fairly hefty price tag of £36,860, while the powertrain results in middling efficiency of 35.3mpg and 182g/km of CO2 emissions. These figures are achieved by cylinder deactivation, shutting down two of the four cylinders under light load to reduce fuel consumption.
It shows that downsized turbo engines and electrical assistance have spoiled family SUV buyers, because while the Mazda makes smooth enough progress, it needs working hard and refinement is lacking. The gearbox feels old-school, kicking down with a long pause and a lurch before the car rears up. The engine has a similar approach, because the engine revs climb to a drone and refinement is impacted.
Yet even at full throttle the CX-5 doesn’t feel all that quick. The 0-62mph sprint takes 9.2 seconds, although gearshifts aren’t the quickest – but they are at least smooth. Drive gently, accelerate gradually and keep a lid on the engine’s noise, and the CX-5 makes much more sense. When the powertrain isn’t as stressed it works much better, but the level at which this occurs is much lower than in some of its key rivals.
It’s also a shame because, as has ever been the case, the CX-5 has superb steering that, for an SUV, encourages you to drive it with just that little bit more spirit than you might usually do in a car of this type. It has precision and good weight, plus a degree of feel, which is a welcome surprise.
The chassis is also up to the task. Occasionally it thunders over bumps, the wheels rebounding a little more violently than we’d like, but in the most part the ride is comfortable, while body control contains this top-spec car’s 1,719kg bulk relatively well. It has the kind of balance between engaging handling and a concession to ride quality that we like from Mazda’s SUVs. It’s a shame that the powertrain feels so old-school by comparison.
The CX-5’s interior has aged well, though, and is helped by some tech updates. A new 10.25-inch infotainment set-up running the same operating system as found in the 3 hatchback is a step forward and standard across the line-up, while all trim levels also get connected services.
A new MyMazda app means you can lock the car’s doors remotely and send destinations to the car’s sat-nav, among other features. However, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard, and may be preferable to some. Otherwise, the cabin design is smart and the materials feel plush – but then you’d expect them to in a top-spec car costing this much.
Still, build quality is solid, and so is practicality, because the 506-litre boot is big enough, plus a standard powered tailgate helps access it. The rear of the car’s cabin is spacious enough, too, with plenty of headroom and just about enough legroom. One drawback is that the dark interior of our test car made it feel claustrophobic in the rear, but it’s a small point.
Otherwise, top-spec GT Sport trim comes well equipped, with heated front and rear Nappa leather seats, while there’s also ventilation for the front chairs. A heated steering wheel is standard, too, along with dual-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors plus a 360-degree camera, a sunroof, LED lights all round and lots of safety tech.
This is key to a family SUV in 2021, and with autonomous emergency braking (when reversing, too), blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and a driver attention monitor, the CX-5 is well catered for. It’s just a shame that the flagship petrol engine is the weak link in the package.
The set-up is described by Stellantis as a mid-power system. It comprises a 60bhp fuel cell stack under the bonnet, which is connected to three hydrogen tanks that can carry 4.4kg of hydrogen and are mounted under the cargo floor, in place of the electric van's 50kWh battery.
In addition, there's a 10.5kWh battery mounted under the seats which can be plugged in to be recharged. This provides power for the 121bhp electric motor which drives the front wheels and offers up to 31 miles of range on its own. Stellantis promises that the combined fuel cell system will be easily capable of more than 250 miles (subject to official WLTP tests) of zero-emissions driving, while three-minute refill times for the hydrogen system are far shorter than those for the electric vans.
The set-up is designed to mix power sources, so the battery provides power from a standstill, at low speeds and under acceleration, while the fuel cell takes over at cruising speeds when less energy is needed. As with full EVs, the system recoups energy back into the battery when coasting or decelerating.
Since the fuel cell system is integrated into the existing medium-sized van platform, cargo volume hasn't been compromised, while Stellantis promises a payload of up to 1.1 tonnes, depending on van size. The van will be offered in medium and long panel van guises.
Development of the fuel cell system was led by Opel's R&D department with input from Peugeot/Citroen and French hydrogen experts Faurecia and Symbio. This joint effort has sped up development and means the first vans will hit the roads before the end of 2021.
Hydrogen charging stations are still scarce across Europe, but these new models have received direct funding from the German government for their development, and are backed by a multi-billion Euros investment in EU hydrogen charging infrastructure being rolled out by French and German governments ahead of the EU's target for carbon neutrality in 2050.
Currently there are 25 hydrogen refuelling points in France, and 90 in Germany, with more being added every month.
Stellantis's hydrogen fuel cell tech is for vans only at the moment, but it could easily make the leap to passenger vehicles in the form of the Citroen SpaceTourer and Peugeot Traveller MPVs. There are currently no plans to produce a hydrogen Vauxhall Vivaro van, because the fuel cell system has only been developed for left-hand drive models. However, Stellantis sees this project as its first step in hydrogen fuel cell development, and it will drive research into its second-generation systems for its broad range of cars and vans.
Prices are to be confirmed, but Stellantis is trying to keep costs as low as possible by using its existing van tech and bringing in hydrogen experts to accelerate its development. The firm is focusing on total cost of ownership (TCO) and trying to attract as many businesses on board from the start to help reduce costs.
