#116 – Todd Rome | Moke America – Electric Low Speed Vehicles & Rebuilding an Icon

Todd Rome is CEO of Moke America. Key topics in this conversation include: The reinvention of the Moke The potential for electric low speed vehicles What Todd learned building Blue Star Jets Links: Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ToddRome www.MokeAmerica.com https://www.instagram.com/mokeamerica/ Todd Rome As a longtime luxury transportation entrepreneur, Todd Rome revolutionized private aviation with Blue Star Jets in the year 2001 by bringing a new concept to the way businesses and families traveled. He was one of the first entrepreneurs to charter luxury planes before the jet-for-hire business had been established. In 2016, Rome turned his vision to innovating the electric car industry with Moke America.“I first fell in love with the Moke from my vacations to St.Barts,” he says. “After selling Blue Star Jets, it seemed like the right time to start another adventure-and the Moke was the perfect vehicle to embark upon a new journey with. I founded Moke America with the idea of, literally reinventing the wheel. The classic Moke, which was originally from Great Britain, had numerous problems but had an unbelievable look and feel and defined the word cool. The Moke touched cultural points from surf culture to Brigitte Bardot and many other celebrities like The Beach Boys and James Bond.” Today, Moke America dominates the Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) market in North America, bringing electric technology to a heritage car brand. With over4,000 vehicles sold and a nationwide dealer network, Moke America is set up for exponential growth for many years to come. “We took a 20th-century collectible car and reinvented it with 21st-centurygreen-friendly electric power,” Rome describes. “Even better, all the cars are built in Sarasota, FL. We also have a lot of celebrity fans of the brand including the Kardashian/Jenner family, Martha Stewart, Katherine McPhee and Jay Leno, among others.”Moke America also has an exclusive partnership with EON to produce special edition 007 Mokes, which celebrates the four James Bond movies the Moke was in. Todd Rome resides in New York City and Sag Harbor with his family. About Moke America The Moke is back, baby! The throwback classic cruiser from the ‘60s, which was beloved by stars and socialites such as Brigitte Bardot, Cher, the Beach Boys, Princess Margaret and Jacqueline Onassis, has been reinvented by Moke America. Electric, street legal and versatile, Moke America runs on good vibes and electric power. Plug it in for 40 miles of fun, from the beach and golf course to the farmer’s market and city streets. Moke America reaches a top speed of 25 mph, allowing it for use on city streets with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or less. Customizable in one of 12 rainbow bright colors (+camo), this bespoke Moke turns heads and lights up Instagram feeds. Future of Mobility: The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields. linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/ brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ Edison Manufacturing: At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.