Canoo reveals electric delivery van, plans for pickup, microfactories
17/12/2020 14:00
By Ben Klayman
DETROIT, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Electric vehicle startup Canoo,
which is going public through a reverse merger with a
blank-check company, on Thursday revealed its second scheduled
vehicle, a delivery van, and laid out plans to add a pickup
truck and build microfactories.
Canoo said it will offer two size variants on the delivery
vehicle, which will carry a starting price of about $33,000. It
will launch the vehicle in limited numbers in late 2022 with
wider distribution in 2023.
"The multipurpose delivery platform is not just about
delivering goods, it's about delivering use cases on top of it,"
Canoo Executive Chairman Tony Aquila said in an interview.
Aquila, who was named to his position in October, said Canoo
plans to add a pickup, pushing beyond plans for the pod-like,
seven-seat canoo in the second quarter of 2022, the delivery
vehicle and a sport sedan in 2025. He did not disclose the
timing for the truck. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2HB322
"You'll see us introduce a full lineup of product," he said.
Canoo has developed a "skateboard" - a low-rise platform
that bundles batteries and electric motors with such chassis
components as steering, brakes and wheels - on which a variety
of vehicle body types can be built.
While Canoo, which will go public later this month under the
trading symbol "GOEV" through its deal with special purpose
acquisition company (SPAC) Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp IV
HCACU.O , is pushing to close a contract manufacturing deal
with supplier Magna International MG.TO , it also intends to
build vehicles itself in microfactories, Aquila
said. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2FK0IA
Los Angeles-based Canoo said the delivery vehicle will have
almost 30% more parcel volume than rivals.
Demand for electric delivery vehicles has surged and
numerous companies, including Ford Motor Co F.N , General
Motors Co GM.N , Daimler's DAIGn.DE Mercedes, and startups
Rivian and Arrival, are developing similar vehicles.
urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2G306T
Canoo, which is working with South Korea's Hyundai Motor
005380.KS , said the delivery vehicle will be fully connected
with data reporting capabilities, and feature self-driving
technology and over-the-air software updates.
The two variants - multipurpose delivery vehicle 1 (MPDV1)
and multipurpose delivery vehicle 2 (MPDV2) - are expected to
offer three battery sizes, with an estimated EPA EV driving
range of 130 to 230 miles (209 to 370 km), and 90 miles to 190
miles (145 to 306 km), respectively.
The vehicle will debut in the U.S. market, followed by
Canada, Mexico and Europe.
Canoo said it plans to introduce a third, larger variant in
the class 3 truck category.
(Reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit; editing by Jonathan
Oatis)
((benjamin.klayman@thomsonreuters.com; 313-600-2277; Reuters
Messaging: benjamin.klayman.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))