Electric Mini Moke rolls off production line before summer deliveries
The British-made Moke is priced from £29,150 and is fully-electric for the first time, with up to 89 miles of range
The first examples of the electric Moke have completed production - prices start from £29,150 with an 89-mile range
The first examples of the new, revived Moke have rolled off the production line ahead of being delivered to customers in the summer.
The Moke, which has received new life with all-electric power, is priced from £29,150 before taxes and incentives are applied. Moke International, the company behind the car, is claiming it’s the first heritage brand to go fully electric.
Five exterior paint colours, granite grey, sunlight yellow, sunset orange, scuba blue and wave blue, can be selected at launch, with more options planned for later this year.
“Moke is all about country roads, beach excursions, the summer breeze in your hair and enjoying the journey, rather than hurrying from A to B. We’ve taken the original Mini Moke, created by Sir Alec Issigonis and reimagined it for today’s world - and tomorrow’s - as a fully electric vehicle,” said Robin Kennedy,Moke International’s commercial director.
“In recent times, petrol-powered Mokes have been championed by everyone from Kate Moss to George Russell. Our team has been working relentlessly for three years to engineer and manufacture a worthy, sustainable successor with the latest technologies. Made in Britain, the Electric Moke is now ready to inspire and delight a new generation.”
The electric Moke is available in right- and left-hand drive and power is sent to the rear wheels by a 44bhp motor. As the vehicle weighs only 800kg, that’s enough for 0-34mph (0-55km/h) in 4.5sec and a top speed of 62mph.
The size of the battery hasn't been disclosed, but the Moke delivers 89 miles of range – enough, the company says, for five trips between Cap-Ferrat and Monaco. Charging takes four hours through the car’s Type 2 charging port.
The Moke measures 3225mm long by 1660mm wide, with a height of 1546mm. Ground clearance is given as 18cm.
“Moke going electric secures the appeal of one of Britain's best-loved marques for many generations to come,” said Moke International CEO Isobel Dando, a former product lead at Rolls-Royce. “Moke’s marriage of fun, personality and open-air thrills will only be enhanced through the performance and silent running of an electric powertrain. We are proud to write a new chapter in one of British automotive folklore’s best love stories.”
The electric Moke will be built "at a state-of-the-art facility" in the UK operated by the Northamptonshire-based Fablink Group. Moke International says it has half a million square feet of production space at its disposal, employing around 700 people across six UK sites.
The brand was revived in 2017, with the success of various special editions leading to investment that, the firm says, has secured its long-term future.
The company also says it was able to commit to the UK as its manufacturing base thanks to a government grant from the Niche Vehicle Network, as well as the post-Brexit trade deal that "allows UK automotive businesses tariff-free access to EU markets, based on defined rules of origin".
As such, all of the car’s battery cells, motors and inverters will be sourced from "tier one European suppliers".
The first deliveries of the electric Moke are expected to take place in the summer of 2022. Customers will be able to personalise their cars "to their exact tastes and sensibilities", with power steering, regenerative braking and heated windscreens all included as standard.