Zeekr EV gets 600+ Miles of Range, Munroe EV Trucks Coming To The US
Huge range announced from Geely owned Zeekr, and a Scottish startup named Munroe will bring its brutish truck to our shores.
In the great race to produce electric cars, range has been the most common number that manufacturers love to tout. The longer the range, typically, the better. Mercedes has already shown off its Vision EQXX with an impressive range, but it’s not a production car. The Zeekr 001 and 009 will be produced, however.
The impressive range comes from Geely’s partnership with CATL, according to CarScoops. CATL produces Qilin batteries, which in simple terms have a higher energy density than any battery currently in production. That means more energy can be held in this battery, and thus the ability to tout 621 miles of range.
There’s no news on if this tech will make it to the US from another Geely brand, but if successful, the Qilin style battery would be a significant shift in EV adoption.
Munroe EV is a simple name for a simple, but awesome, SUV.
Electric vehicle startups are remarkably common these days. While some seemingly want to jump at a quick buck, others are in it for the right reasons. Munroe is looking to make money as well, but as a business plan rather than a flash in the pan. The truck has already been available in the UK market, but now the Glasgow based outfit is dedicating half of their production to left hand drive units for export.
AutoEvolution compares their SUV to the original Hummer. Not only based on similar boxy looks, but also based on off-road prowess. An 80.1 kWh battery is good for 168 miles of mixed-driving. Munroe knows this won’t be a vehicle you choose if you’re looking for range. Instead, off-road capability is the focus here. Permanent 4 wheel drive is on offer, with locking differentials (which tells us there’s not a motor for each wheel). While many might say it’s similar to the Humvee, the Munroe EV reminds us an awful lot of the stillborn Bollinger SUV that never quite made it to production. Hopefully this one stands a better chance. Munroe plans to test the waters with just 50 units before really ramping up production.
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Photos courtesy of CarScoops, AutoEvolution