Much ink has been spilled looking at how councils are decarbonising their fleets by replacing fossil-fuel powered refuse collection vehicles and street sweepers, vans and cars with their electric equivalents. Indeed, this represents much of LAPV’s coverage. Less consideration has been given to the world of 4x4s and how councils – particularly in rural areas – might need to find alternatives to their diesel-hungry all-terrain vehicles.

This is certain to change with the launch this year of the Munro Series M electric 4x4. Like a lot of electric vehicles, this home-grown all-terrain vehicle delivers significant operator benefits over fossil-fuel powered alternatives; think greater efficiency, smooth power delivery and reduced driver fatigue. With the drivers onboard, EV-experienced fleet teams throughout the home nations are already benefitting from total cost of ownership (TCO) savings. With this impressive looking vehicle, customers can now experience lower fuel costs and lower long-term maintenance and service costs than the fossil fuel equivalents in the 4x4 vehicle category.

Local authorities also need to think about more than just their budgets – overstretched though these might be. They also need to consider the climate crisis and the pressing need to reduce carbon emissions on the long and difficult journey to net zero. Munro’s new electric 4x4 was built for just this purpose. According to the sustainability experts at Tunley Environmental, the total lifetime emissions of the M170 truck over 20 years is quantifed at 56.7 t CO2e. By comparison, a diesel truck is given to be responsible for 139.8 t CO2e over the same 20-year timeframe.

Denbighshire County Council has been quick off the mark in securing itself one of these more environmentally friendly vehicles. The Welsh local authority has been able to purchase its first Munro Series M electric 4x4 thanks to gap funding from the Welsh Government’s Energy Service and the council’s Climate Change Programme.

The new vehicle, which is currently in production, will replace a fossil-fuel powered pick-up truck that has come to the end of its fleet life. Based at Loggerheads Country Park, it will support the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscapes team, something it will be more than capable of doing thanks to thorough testing on all types of off-road situations and its ability to tackle gradients above 40 degrees.

Commenting on the purchase of the vehicle, Cllr Barry Mellor, lead member for Environment and Transport said the vehicle will help Denbighshire County Council meet its climate goals.

‘The council remains committed to tackling the Climate and Ecological Emergency declared in 2019 and it’s great to see a UK developed EV replacing the end-of-life 4x4 fossil fuel driven vehicle,’ he said. ‘This will provide a robust all terrain service for the rangers while providing greener mileage at a lower fuel and general maintenance cost as well.’

Russell Peterson, CEO & Co-Founder, Munro Vehicles added that he was particularly happy to be working with the Welsh local authority.

‘We’re thrilled to partner with Denbighshire County Council as the first local authority in Wales to deploy the Munro Series-M,’ he said. ‘This marks a significant step toward sustainable, all-terrain capability for public services. Denbighshire’s commitment to innovation and net-zero aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver rugged, reliable, and fully electric 4x4 solutions. We look forward to seeing the Series-M in action, proving that zero-emission vehicles can handle the toughest jobs.’

This article was originally published in the Spring 2025 issue of LAPV. Sign up here to receive your free copy of future issues.