Remember the Mini Moke? It was a post-war vehicle based on the first-generation Mini that was originally intended for military use, but eventually became a hit among beach lovers and outdoors enthusiasts.
Fast forward to the 21st century and a handful of companies have remastered the iconic British recreational vehicle with all-electric drivetrains replacing the old A-Series gasoline engine. Among these companies is Moke America, which began selling the retro EVs back in 2016, but with a starting price of around $22,000 for a barebones model that doesn't have floor mats or a radio, it’s not exactly affordable.
So now the company has started a rental business called WeMoke, which can get you in an electric Moke in several locations across the country, specifically in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Hawaii, and New York.
Gallery: Moke America electric low-speed vehicle inspired by the original Mini Moke
Prices start at $125 per hour or $475 per day, so it’s not exactly cheap renting one either, but if you’re looking for some old-school thrills in a zero-emissions ride, it might be the best thing out there.
Moke America says that the rental vehicles can be custom wrapped for special events and can comfortably seat four people, all while providing amenities like a backup camera and a Bluetooth radio. However, don’t expect to go cruising on the highway with one of these cars because you’re not allowed and you couldn’t really keep up with traffic.
The electric Moke is classified as a low-speed vehicle (LSV), so it’s only street legal on roads where a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less is imposed, which is still quite a lot, considering the vehicle itself has a top speed of 25 mph.
Moke America’s EVs are custom-built at the company’s factory in Sarasota, Florida, and feature a 7.5 kilowatts continuous rated (15 kW peak) electric motor which draws power from a 12 kilowatt-hours lead-acid battery pack that offers an all-electric range of 40 miles.
Besides Moke America, there’s also Electric Moke Californian which makes a modern, zero-emissions variant of the British buggy, but this one is even more expensive, with a starting price of $41,900. For this kind of money, however, you get a car that’s equipped with a 44-horsepower electric motor capable of offering a top speed of 50 mph. It also has a lithium-ion battery that enables a driving range of 80 miles, so you could take it on the highway if you wanted to.
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