Mini Moke production kicks off

The legendary ‘Mini Moke’ beach car is celebrating its comeback with an all-electric drive. The company Moke International has started production of the electric Moke in Great Britain and plans to deliver the first units to customers there from June. However, the fun vehicle is not exactly cheap.

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At about the same time, deliveries will also begin in France, according to the company. With this, Moke International claims to be the first traditional brand to go fully electric.

The new Moke has a 33 kW electric drive system and offers a range of 75 miles (120 kilometres). The top speed is stated to be 100 km/h (62 mph). Moke does not give any details about the size and type of the battery in the announcement. Regarding the charging system, it only says that a charging process should take four hours. This is likely to be an AC-only charger.

The electric Moke is assembled in Great Britain, and over 60 per cent of the parts are said to come from Europe. The company does not disclose the origin of the remaining 40 per cent (and which components they are). There are five paint finishes available at launch, with more to be offered later in the year.

The small convertible off-roader was originally designed by Mini designer Alec Issigonis and manufactured by the British Motor Corporation (BMC). The vehicle has been produced in various countries over the years and currently also serves as the basis for the electric Moke built in the US by Cruise Car Inc.

The base price for the Launch Edition is £29,150 before tax and subsidies. That is the equivalent of over 34,000 euros. The vehicles are also available in left-hand drive. The company has not yet published prices for continental Europe.

Update 21 July 2022:

British brand Moke International has agreed to sell up to 100% of its shareholdings to Canada-based EV Technology Group. In a cash and stock transaction valued at $51.6 million, EVTG will acquire a further 50% of Moke International to own approximately 67.6% of the company and will maintain an option to acquire up to 100% of the remaining shares. Production of the electric Moke is already underway, with customer deliveries arriving in the coming weeks.

“I am proud and excited that MOKE International is becoming part of the EV Technology Group. It is the perfect Company to take our rapidly growing business to the next level with the right balance of expertise, investment, and ambition,” said Isobel Dando, CEO of MOKE, adding: “EV Technology Group’s in-house engineering and manufacturing expertise, and customer-centric technologies will also be invaluable to us as we continue to develop the Electric MOKE and more pioneering products.”

Update 18 October 2022:

Moke International has announced their return to the USA with the improved and more powerful Electric Moke Californian. Moke International’s Electric Moke Californian will be the company’s first highway-legal vehicle available in the USA, and the first genuine version of the original Mini Moke, to go on sale in the USA since 1982. As mentioned above, the Moke Electric California will not be built in California, however, as the name suggests, but instead will be manufactured exclusively in the UK and imported to the USA.

The Electric Moke Californian has a top speed of 50mph (80kph) and can manage a range of up to 80 miles (120km) per charge, according to WLTP standards. In terms of acceleration, the new Moke covers 0-34mph (0-55kph) in 4.3 seconds and achieves a top speed of 50mph (80kph). Fully charging the Moke takes four hours on a Type 1 charger.

“This is a momentous time for MOKE International,” said Isobel Dando, CEO of MOKE International, adding: “It’s great to be able to offer the US market a genuine MOKE car for the first time in 40 years. The original Moke Californian represented an incredibly important chapter in the company’s rich history; we are proud that the MOKE lives on and can be enjoyed in the electric era.”

Update 11 November 2022:

The Electric Moke Californian is now available to order via Moke International’s new US website. Prices start at $41,900. Customers can reserve a build slot for a refundable fee of $990, but the carmaker warns that with sales limited to 325 cars per year, they will need to be quick to avoid disappointment.

autocara.co.uk, mokeinternational.com, mokeinternational.com (product page), mokeinternational.com (update II), mokeinternational.com (update III)