Founded in 2019, Canoo has already made big waves in the industry because of the claim of being able to offer the most volume and functionality in the smallest space. The first Canoo vehicle is the so-called Lifestyle Vehicle, a subscription-only “loft” on wheels currently being rolled out in select cities in the U.S.

That one is a boxy, cute-looking EV that boasts unprecedented volume and comfort, as well as the convenience of not having to worry about owning it. Jay Leno compared it to a fridge when he first saw it and then took it out for a drive, and he was equally baffled by the idea of people wanting to pay for a car on a monthly basis when they couldn’t own it. That is just one man’s opinion, though.


Using the same platform as the “loft,” Canoo then developed the Multi-Purpose Delivery Vehicle or MPDV. Designed from the inside out and with the explicit goal of being as functional and modular as possible, it’s perfect for businesses, big or small. Pre-orders for it are now underway.

The third Canoo vehicle to use the proprietary skateboard platform is the not-so-originally-titled Canoo electric pickup, which was unveiled on March 10, 2021, at the Motor Press Guild’s Virtual Media Day. It’s just as boxy and cute-looking as the other two and equally purpose-built. Described as a pickup with a “masculine” look but “sleek and sexy” design, the pickup truck is ready for work or play at the drop of a hat.

“We are so passionate about building vehicles that can change people’s lives,” Tony Aquila, Executive Chairman of Canoo, says. “Our pickup truck is as strong as the toughest trucks out there and is designed to be exponentially more productive. This truck works for you. We made accessories for people who use trucks – on the job, weekends, adventure. You name it, we did it because it’s your platform and she’s bad to the bone.”



With steer- and brake-by-wire technology, Canoo can deliver the flattest platform. In turn, this means their pickup is a medium-sized one with the capacity of a large-size. The exact dimensions are 112.2 inches (2,850 mm) for the wheelbase, 184 inches (4,677 mm) of overall length and 213 inches (5,400 mm) of overall extension with the bed extension, 78 inches (1,980 mm) in width, and 76 inches (1,920 mm) in height, without the roof rack.

It’s the biggest smallest pickup, if you will—and it’s packed with unique features.

The first one that stands out is the extendable bed. There’s an extension that you can pull out, which expands the bed from six feet to eight feet (183 to 244 cm) long while still enclosed. The extension features a license holder and secondary lamp that takes over taillight functions, and the sides can also fold out into a workbench.

Speaking of workbenches, the pickup truck features three of them: two on each side of the bed and one in the front, where an internal combustion engine would be. The two lateral ones have adjustable depths, and all three come with access to various power sources. Canoo says you can work and power all your tools throughout the day, with as little as 10% drainage on your battery.


Hidden on the side is a step that offers easy access to the bed, and underneath it, storage for all kinds of stuff. You can use it for a medical kit or laptop storage, as it’s lockable and, as noted already, hidden.

A third brake light is on the bed wall, which serves the double purpose of making the truck more visible on the road and illuminating the bed. Space in the bed itself can be further optimized with dividers, modular wheel chocks for bikes, and configurable tie-downs for ladders and large equipment. For all those times when you wished your truck had some manner of securing stuff better, Canoo has the solution.

Moreover, Canoo plans to offer roof racks of variable sizes, and camper shells, while the interior will be trimmed with a focus on sustainability. Designed with the owner in mind, it will be fully customizable according to every individual owner's needs, whether they want it for work or for overlanding.


Canoo will sell the pickup in two variants, single motor and dual motor, with a maximum of 600 hp and 550 ft-lb (746 Nm) of torque and a maximum payload of 1,800 pounds (816 kg). No details on the battery have been released, but the estimated range is 200 miles (322 km) on a single charge. Pre-orders will probably open later in 2021, with an estimated delivery in 2023.

In recent years it was Bollinger and its B2 pickup truck that reminded us of just how unnecessarily fancy our rounded cars are, with Tesla's Cybertruck somehow following suit - though the angles of that design were a little more on the flashy side.

If you think back long enough - well, as long as memory will serve you - there are other examples as well. A very good one that shouldn't put too much strain on anyone's brain to recollect is the Volvo 240 wagon (and the 850 as well), a model that, not at all coincidentally, was known as the "Volvo Box Car".


Considering the footprint of a vehicle is roughly rectangular, it makes perfect sense that a parallelepiped is the best way to maximize the use of space once you go into three dimensions. For once, squarer means better. Carmakers have known this for ages, yet they always tried to make their designs less threatening to the human eye by rounding things off just a little.

Not Canoo, though. The startup has just taken the wraps off its second product, and the first thing that goes through your mind the first time you see it is "how did I end up in Minecraft?" It's called the "Multi-Purpose Delivery Vehicle" and try as you might, you won't come up with a better name.

Canoo has been around for a few years fiddling and it already had one other EV available for pre-ordering. That was a lifestyle vehicle named Lifestyle Vehicle - gotta hand it to them, they know how to name their products - that would only be available on subscription because future people don't want to own their cars anymore. Or so we're told.

The MPDV, on the other hand, is aimed at business owners (big or small) and has a price attached to it (starting at $33,000). Like the Lifestyle Vehicle and in true Canoo spirit, the MPDV is designed from the inside out. That means it's built primarily to fulfill a large range of needs, from delivering stuff to morphing into a food truck or just a mobile stand at a food market. You only need to look at its frame and notice how it's reinforced on the left side, but not on the right where a food truck would have its opening.


The company plans to offer the electric van in two versions: the MPDV 1 and MPDV 2 (we're telling you, the naming is on another level). The MPDV1 is smaller (200 cu ft/5.66 cubic meters of cargo space, 6.2'/189 cm tall, 1,980 lbs/898 kg max payload), but has a longer range - between 130 and 230 miles (210-370 km). The MPDV 2 is larger (400 cu ft/11.32 cubic meters of cargo space, 8.4'/256 cm tall) but has a lower range of between 90 and 190 miles (145 to 305 km) and a lower maximum payload of 1,760 lbs (798 kg).

As boxy as the MPDV undeniably is, that doesn't mean it has no design value whatsoever. The team put some effort into giving the electric van some stylistic value, and the way the lights (both front and rear) curve around the edge to the side is actually quite a nice touch. The glossy finish also gives it a high-tech and premium feel, which is something it didn't need to have, but it's nice that it does.

We'll have to wait and see whether Canoo manages to get a foothold into the automotive market, or will go down as one more startup that, ironically enough given the nature of the MPDV, failed to deliver. As it stands, the offer sounds pretty good and we expect to see more and more last-mile delivery EVs over the coming years.

The electric revolution is coming, but one startup is here to cater for those drivers who might not be entirely convinced they want to spend their hard-earned money on an electric vehicle.

5 photos


In the process, L.A.-based Canoo will free them from the burdens of car ownership, which implies anything from shopping for the right car at various dealerships, to paying taxes and insurance, and maintenance. Their proposal is called canoo, the world’s first subscription-only electric vehicle, which is both convenient and comfortable.

canoo looks like the cutest minivan but has the spacious interior of an SUV, Canoo says in the press release. It is built on a “skateboard” chassis with all the components below, which offers more interior space and plenty of customization possibilities.

Whereas many carmakers focus on EVs that still look like the cars we drive today, Canoo looks to a future where the concept of a personal vehicle has been abolished and replaced with something that would best be described as a “loft on wheels.” canoo sits 7 passengers in total, with the backseat resembling a sofa and the front seats resemble mid-century modern chairs.

The usual infotainment system will be replaced by passengers’ personal phones, so they can just plug them in and listen to or watch whatever they want. This way, canoo will deliver ultimate comfort without cluster and extra options that sound awesome on paper but no one really ends up using either way.

canoo will launch with advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and Driver Monitoring, and be equipped with 7 cameras, 5 radars and 12 ultrasonic sensors. Canoo promises that the technology will be updated as it evolves, so that riders are guaranteed safety. Estimated range is of 250 miles, with DC fast charging of 80% done in 30 minutes.

“We believe that the potential of EV architecture can enable a post-SUV era that addresses the ever-growing desire for space and value,” Ulrich Kranz, In Charge at Canoo, says. “We promised a truly different approach for EVs, and our canoo proves that we can deliver on that vision. The unveiling also kicks off the period of beta testing, meaning we are on track for our launch date in 2021. We are very proud of the team. In my 30 years' experience, I have never seen so many quality achievements in such a short time.”

The monthly service will launch in 2021 in Los Angeles, come to San Francisco at a later date and then extend throughout the U.S. Pricing will be announced closer to the release date.

Canoo has been creating a stir with its electric vehicle (EV) concepts for a couple of years now, but we are still waiting for them to hit the market. Now the Los Angeles-based manufacturer is finally giving us the pricing for its Lifestyle Vehicle, the first Canoo car to be released.

16 photos

The Lifestyle Vehicle was announced in 2019 as a loft on wheels only available with a monthly subscription. However, Canoo now says the electric van will be available for purchase and prices will start at $34,750.

The model looks like a minivan but its interior will be as spacious as a large SUV, according to Canoo. Being an EV, it will be built on a skateboard platform and all the propulsion components will be placed below, to maximize interior space. It will have a 7-seat capacity and a cozy interior with lounge seats in the back, jumpseats, drawer seats, and even an optional coffee table. The vehicle will be equipped with seven cameras, six ultrasonic sensors, five radars, and will have Canoo’s street view window for improved driver visibility.

The Lifestyle Vehicle will have a 250 miles (402 km) range and you’ll be able to recharge it to 80 percent in only 28 minutes using DC fast charging.

Canoo offers other fresh info as well. It turns out that the Lifestyle Vehicle will be available in four trims: Base, Premium, Adventure, and Delivery. Its pricing can go as high as $49,950, depending on the trim you opt for. More details are to follow soon on what each of them includes.

The Lifestyle Vehicle is the first Canoo car to hit the market and it’s going to happen in 2022. However, the company is now taking preorders for all its vehicles, including its Pickup Truck and MPDV (multi-purpose delivery vehicle), although the other two are scheduled for production in early 2023. (you can read more information in the press release below this article).

Preorders for all the Canoo vehicles require a $100 deposit per car.

In January, we wrote that Canoo could commit the same mistakes that killed the first iteration of Aptera and which are now troubling Tesla. Unfortunately, it seems the company is moving fast in that direction. Although the startup tries to make it look like everything is under control, it was obliged to report “substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue.”

The 2014 FASB accounting rule demands Canoo to state that it does not have enough money to stay afloat. On March 31, 2022, it had only $104.9 million in cash and cash equivalents. In the first quarter, it lost $125.4 million, which is way more than it lost in Q1 2021: $15.2 million. At this pace, Canoo may go bust before the end of June and Canoo already said it may spend $220 million in Q2 2022 alone, so expenses may even be higher than they already were in the past quarter.

Tony Aquila tried to calm the markets by stating that Canoo has $600 million in accessible capital. The startup CEO said this money would be enough for the company to reach SoP (Start-of-Operations). He also said that Canoo has “significant experience raising capital in challenging markets.”

Half of that money would be available through “a committed PIPE from an existing shareholder and an equity purchase agreement with financing partner Yorkville Advisors.” Canoo would have also filed “a $300-million universal shelf.” Supposing that financing is certain, this amount would ensure just one year of operations at the current expenses rate. In other words, Canoo would report cash flow problems again by the end of Q2 2023.

The company said it had plans to start manufacturing by Q4 2022. Around 3,000 to 6,000 EVs would be made by VDL Nedcar. The manufacturing contract has allegedly been shelved, and Canoo would make these cars independently. That demands a lot more money than $600 million.

Canoo still tried to reinforce what could look like good news: being selected for NASA’s Artemis ground-crew-transportation vehicles, having 17,000 pre-orders worth $750 million, and 39 gamma vehicles (pre-production cars).

None of that prevented a drop in the startup’s share prices. After all, the reservations will only become revenue if Canoo is able to produce them. Even if it is, companies still lose money in the ramp-up, as Rivian and Lucid clearly demonstrate. It is a good thing that Canoo has experience raising capital: it will probably need more than $600 million to reach its goals.

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — It's been called by some a lunchbox on wheels. It may not be a flattering descriptor, but one that Canoo CEO Tony Aquila says will fall away quickly when someone starts a test drive.

"The car system has always sold you from a distance. What we're selling you is what it can do for you. You think holy s___, and then we take you outside and your mind starts to fall in love with the outside," he said.

Canoo invited NewsChannel 8's Tyler Butler to test drive their gamma prototype cars, starting with their test lander, which is essentially what the Canoo is without the body.

That body that Oklahomans are coming to recognize is designed to maximize interior space, essentially wrapping the front of the car around the driver with plenty of room for passengers or cargo.
"Your eyes are round, so when you got in and out of your vehicle, notice the car squared up your eyes. Here, we're amplifying your eyes by giving you a field of view," Aquila explained as we looked out the bubbled front windows.

A glass panel on the front gives you a clear view of the road immediately ahead of you.

Aquila says the car you see here is 80 percent of what the finished model will essentially be, with that last 20 percent being minor adjustments. He says the land for the plant in Pryor has been cleared and will one day be producing their entire product lineup.

"Everything that we'll build anywhere will be built in Pryor as well. Pryor is going to be the mothership of manufacturing. In fact, most of the debugging will be done at these smaller sites."

The main manufacturing will then be handed over to Pryor once the bugs are worked out.

Canoo is building eight cars a week at a facility in Detroit where they are working on the robotic assembly systems. These prototypes are street legal, and with 300 horsepower can pack a punch.

Canoo plans to be prudent in their rollout, selling them at first, only in markets like Oklahoma and Arkansas where they can address the early manufacturing issues all automakers face.

Priced between 35 to 55 thousand dollars, they expect this to be a car people can buy, use, and upgrade, potentially for decades to come.

"What we've done is democratized the vehicle. You can't use the word vehicle to describe us because we got rid of half the parts, we've given you a field of view. We're focused on your energy. You will actually enjoy driving this car. By the way, you're on the size of a Prius wheelbase and look how much room you have," Aquila said.

And then you have what feels like acres of space ahead of you, but you're still at the front of the car. It's a very different way of doing things.

A way that Canoo believes is simpler, more efficient, and a better place for the driver to be. They hope to begin production later this year or early 2023.

Walmart to Purchase 4,500 Canoo Electric Delivery Vehicles to be Used for Last Mile Deliveries in Support of Its Growing eCommerce Business

July 12, 2022

BENTONVILLE, Ark., July 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Walmart has signed a definitive agreement with Canoo (NASDAQ: GOEV), a high-tech advanced mobility company, to purchase 4,500 all-electric delivery vehicles, beginning with the Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle (LDV), with the option to purchase up to 10,000 units. The vehicles will be used to deliver online orders in a sustainable way which will also contribute to Walmart's goal to achieve zero-emissions by 2040. While the LDV is expected to begin hitting the road in 2023, the companies plan to kick-off advanced deliveries to refine and finalize vehicle configuration in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex in the coming weeks.



The LDV: Engineered for sustainable last mile deliveries with improved driver ergonomics and safety

Canoo's fully electric Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle (LDV) is an American-made commercial EV optimized for sustainable last mile delivery use cases. As with all Canoo vehicles, the LDV is built on a proprietary multi-purpose platform (MPP) architecture that integrates the motors, battery module and other critical driving components. The LDV has a last mile delivery optimized cabin and customized cargo space. Canoo is utilizing true steer by wire technology, reducing moving parts and cabin intrusion, resulting in more usable interior space, better driver ergonomics and the addition of a panoramic window to improve road visibility.

The LDV is engineered for high frequency stop-and-go deliveries and speedy vehicle to door drop-off, including grocery and food/meal delivery. Its customized interior is designed for small package delivery, at competitive per stop economics. The modular design and 120 cubic feet cargo volume are adaptable to evolve with customer needs which contributes to a decreasing per unit investment over time.


[ . . . ]

Canoo’s LDV (Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle) keeps getting a lot of customers lined up. The latest one to express an interest in the American-made EV is van rental company Kingbee.
6 photos

EV manufacturer Canoo keeps expanding its list of customers for its LDV. One of the most recent ones is Walmart, which placed an order for 4,500 units back in July. Kingbee is yet another company interested in the modular vehicle and just agreed to purchase 9,300 EVs, with an option to increase its order to 18,600 units.

Kingbee provides flexible, sustainable, turn-key solutions for fleet rental, for both small and medium businesses. The company has customers in 27 states and growing. According to Scott Haslam, Kingbee Rentals CEO, Canoo’s vehicles are exactly what they need, as they are designed specifically for fleets to be upfit and last multiple users. What Kingbee aims to do is offer customized solutions that are durable and have great ergonomics for the work vehicle industry. Canoo’s EVs deliver just that and they do it in a zero-emissions package.

The LDV is built on Canoo’s proprietary, multi-purpose platform, being available in multiple configurations that allow for a wide range of use cases. Most of the vehicle service as well as maintenance and updates are handled by Canoo, decreasing vehicle downtime and increasing ROI for fleet operators.

Designed with the driver in mind, the LDV features a panoramic front window that improves road visibility. Canoo’s vehicles use true steer-by-wire technology, offering better driver ergonomics and more usable interior space, as explained by the manufacturer. The LDV is equipped with an 80kWh battery pack, offering a range of up to 200 miles (321 km) per charge. It has a payload capacity of 1,464 lb (664 kg). The vehicle boasts superior visibility, maneuverability, and safety.

Kingbee will offer Canoo’s vehicles as work-ready fleet solutions to its customers across the U.S.

Sandy Munro of Munro & Associates recently got the chance to try out the new Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle (CLV) and he also spoke to the CEO of Canoo, Tony Aquila. And if you remember that video of the Canoo vehicle being driven around in a circle with smoke billowing from one of its tires, well, Sandy was at the wheel at the time trying to get the vehicle to do a donut...

We’ve seen Sandy’s flamboyant driving in other videos, though, and in this particular instance his chat with Tony Aquila was probably the highlight given that the Canoo exec was able to explain a lot about how the CLV works, some of its unique design features and technical solutions.

The very first thing that impresses Sandy is that the CLV was designed to facilitate entry and exit (ingress and egress, as they are known in the industry). You can, for instance, fit a person in a wheelchair through its rear door, even though it’s not actually a sliding door like most van-like vehicles tend to have.

Apparently this was part of the concept of the vehicle, according to the Canoo CEO – they wanted people to appreciate how easy it is to climb aboard the vehicle, then exit the vehicle, look at it and appreciate it. Sandy calls it “the ideal taxi cab.”

When he took the vehicle for a drive, Sandy was impressed by its smooth acceleration and quiet operation, as well as its comfortable and downright cavernous interior that also gives you a great view out. He also praised the vehicle's modular design, which is made possible thanks to the skateboard EV platform that it’s built upon.

Based on what he says in the (lengthy over 40-minute-long) video, Sandy found the CLV to be much better than he anticipated. Towards the end of the video he even says that it has everything he is looking for. He believes that it will be a successful vehicle and he seems to have developed an emotional connection with the vehicle he drove – he calls it “the muscle van.”

Canoo has started deliveries of Lifestyle Delivery Vehicles (LDV) produced at its new facility in Oklahoma City.

The startup's first Oklahoma-made electric vehicles were delivered to the state of Oklahoma, more specifically to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES).



As Canoo points out in a press release, the milestone marks the start of the company's phased-ramp manufacturing in Oklahoma and of LDV deliveries to key customers and partners in 2023.

Canoo did not say how many LDV vans it delivered to Oklahoma's OMES or how many it plans to deliver this year, but it said "increasing units" will be coming next year. We asked the company for details on delivery numbers and production capacity of the Oklahoma City site and we'll update the story when we hear back.

Canoo is currently hiring for its Oklahoma City (vehicle assembly) and Pryor (battery module assembly) facilities in the state, where it expects to create more than 1,300 jobs following an investment of $320 million. The Canoo LDV is the first commercial motor vehicle built in Oklahoma since 2006.



Built on Canoo's Multi-Purpose Platform (MPP), the Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle can be had either as a passenger or cargo van. In August, Canoo announced a longer variant of the latter, the LDV 190, which offers a larger cargo area of 172 cubic feet thanks to the longer body. It's not clear if production of the LDV 190 has started, though.

Last week, Canoo unveiled the American Bulldog, a rugged electric pickup derived from the Screaming Eagle that was delivered to the U.S. Army for testing in 2022. The company did not reveal specifications or production and delivery estimates.

Earlier this year, Canoo finalized incentive agreements with the state of Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation worth up to $113 million over 10 years. The incentives for the Oklahoma City and Pryor sites require the company to meet job creation and investment targets.