“The most cab-forward and space efficient” on the market?
Canoo Inc. (Nasdaq: GOEV), a firm developing purpose-built electric vehicles (EVs), showed its fully-electric pickup truck during the Motor Press Guild’s Virtual Media Day (VMD) in partnership with Automobility LA late last week. The production version of the pickup truck will receive pre-orders in Q2 2021, with deliveries beginning as early as 2023. With more than 350 employees from technology and automotive companies, Canoo says it has designed a modular electric platform purpose-built to deliver maximum vehicle interior space and adaptable to support a wide range of vehicle types and applications for consumers and businesses. The pickup truck is the third vehicle that will be based on the company’s proprietary multi-purpose platform architecture.
The larger story, perhaps, is the company, not the vehicle. Canoo is a Los Angeles-based company that has, arguably, pioneering technologies. Its business model drops traditional ownership and is a glimpse at the future of automobility that other companies are also pursuing. Canoo will not have a physical sales network. The company will offer its product directly to customers via subscription, not ownership.
“Canoo will free its users from the long-term financial commitments, hidden costs, and stressful dealership and DMV trips associated with ownership by offering a simple EV subscription for one monthly, affordable, all-inclusive price. The subscription will include services such as registration, maintenance, insurance management and charging – all from a single app. Canoo brings the convenience and affordability of the well-known month-to-month subscription model to the car industry, providing consumers with the convenience and value they deserve,” claims Canoo.
The “Lifestyle” Canoo chassis is flexible and adaptable to a variety of configurations – van, pickup, SUV and delivery vehicle – among others.
Canoo said it designed the pickup truck to be “the most cab-forward and space efficient on the market, with massive cargo capacity on the smallest footprint possible. Thanks to the flexible platform and steer-by-wire, the passenger compartment was able to be shifted forward to maximize driver visibility.” The bumpers are designed with integrated tow hooks and metal skid plates on both the front and rear. “ Lined with trim and materials selected for durability, the extended cab vehicle has two seats in the front with a customizable rear compartment that can accommodate two additional seats or support additional purpose-built use-case configuration,” Canoo said.
Canoo’s pickup truck was built with qualities to help customers do more with their vehicles¹:
- Pull-out Bed Extension: The pickup truck bed is six feet long and can extend to a fully enclosed eight feet, allowing big items such as a 4 by 8 ft sheet of plywood to easily fit inside. The pull-handle bed extension also helps with loading and unloading the truck. The extension also serves as a license plate holder. When the bed is extended, a second layer of tailgate doors can be swiveled out. The bed-extension also houses a secondary lamp, containing all tail lamp functions, so the truck can be driven while the bed space is maximized.
- Fold Down Worktable + Cargo Storage: To offer the greatest customer utility, the pickup features a front cargo storage area that can hold tools or gear, also includes a fold down worktable with electrical outlets. The workstation table is extendable to allow customers to have maximized work surface on the go, in addition to providing an area to put on gear before heading out exploring.
- Flip-Down Side-Tables: Both sides of the vehicle house a flip down table in two expandable depths. Built into the side panel of the truck bed, the flip-down side-table becomes a workbench with multi-functional power sources in close proximity.
- Side Step + Storage: On the side of the vehicle there is a hidden step to allow quick and easy access to the truck bed. Underneath the step is a flexible storage area for items including: a first-aid kit, cooler for snacks and drinks, lockable laptop storage and more. This space efficient feature is only possible due to Canoo’s ultra-flat platform.
- Modular Bed with Space Dividers: The truck bed is modular with the use of Canoo’s space divider system designed to keep items separate and secure. The bed wall also incorporates modular wheel chocks to secure bikes and configurable tie downs for ladders, large equipment and other materials.
- Multi-Accessory Charge Port: The pickup truck can double as a powerplant with exportable power accessible on all sides of the vehicle. Power can last all day for tools and devices, with as little as 10% impact on vehicle range.
- Integrated Overhead + Bed Perimeter Lighting: The third brake light doubles as an overhead light to see inside the cargo bed at night. The vehicle is also equipped with perimeter lighting on all sides of the bed wall for added visibility.
- Roof Rack: The pickup truck has optional roof racks in variable sizes for added cargo storage. The roof rack is easily accessible from the flatbed or via the sidestep.
- Camper Shell: The pickup truck has been designed to accommodate a variety of camper shells to fit as many use cases as possible.
The pickup truck is the third vehicle that will be based on the company’s proprietary multi-purpose platform architecture, enabling the accelerated development timeline. Canoo’s EV platform functionally integrates all the critical components of an electric powertrain to be as flat and efficient as possible. Traditional EV platforms have power units, shock towers and mechanical steering columns that protrude into the vehicle and take up space. By incorporating steer-by-wire and other space-saving technologies, Canoo’s thin platform, with no need for an engine compartment, allows the company to offer a flatbed size comparable to America’s best-selling pickup truck on a smaller footprint. This makes the vehicle easier to maneuver and more convenient to drive and park in any terrain.
Vehicle specifications for the Canoo pickup truck include2:
- Dual or rear motor configurations
- Up to 600 hp and 550 lb.-ft. of torque with dual motors
- Vehicle payload capacity of 1800 lbs.
- 200+ miles of battery range
- Steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire technology
- Tow hitch receiver
- Wheelbase: 112.2 inches/ 2850 mm
- Overall length: 184 inches/ 4677 mm (with bed extension: 213 inches/ 5400 mm)
- Width: 78 inches/ 1980 mm (with mirrors: 87 inches/ 2209 mm)
- Height: 76 inches/ 1920 mm (with roof rack: 82 inches/ 2085 mm)
- Bed W,L: 64 inches/ 1627 mm x 72 inches/ 1817 mm (with extension: 64 inches/ 1627 mm x 102 inches/ 2600 mm)
- Bed depth: 21 inches/ 522 mm
- Roof rack W,L: 48 inches/ 1230 mm x 54 inches/ 1360 mm
- Tires: 265 60R18
Full specifications will be revealed closer to production.
Inevitable Footnotes
- Individual features available on select vehicles
- Vehicle specifications and performance metrics are prospective, reflecting current engineering and design direction, manufacturer simulations and EPA-estimated average range calculation methodology. Final production vehicle specifications and performance metrics are subject to change.
Management Team
- Tony Aquila – Executive Chairman; ex CEO/Founder, Solera Holdings
- Ulrich Kranz — Chief Executive Officer; ex Head of BMW i
- Richard Kim — In Charge of Design; ex Ext. Designer i3 production vehicle, i3, i8 concepts BMW, Manager VW Audi Group, Faculty Art Center College of Design
- Paul Balciunas — In Charge of Finance & Corporate Development; ex VP, Global Automotive Investment Banking at Deutsche Bank
- Bill Strickland — In Charge of Vehicle Programs & Purchasing; ex Chief Program Executive, Ford Fusion; Launch Manager, Explorer, Taurus
- Andrew Wolstan — In Charge of Legal; ex Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Munger Tolles & Olson
- Sohel Merchant – In Charge of Vehicle Architecture; ex Tesla, Ford Motor Company
- Alexi Charbonneau – In Charge of Skateboard & Cabin; former SpaceX, Tesla, Honda
- Christoph Kuttner – In Charge of Interior & Exterior Systems; ex BMW, Tesla, Mahindra
First Look – Canoo EV Pickup Truck
“The most cab-forward and space efficient” on the market?
Canoo Inc. (Nasdaq: GOEV), a firm developing purpose-built electric vehicles (EVs), showed its fully-electric pickup truck during the Motor Press Guild’s Virtual Media Day (VMD) in partnership with Automobility LA late last week. The production version of the pickup truck will receive pre-orders in Q2 2021, with deliveries beginning as early as 2023. With more than 350 employees from technology and automotive companies, Canoo says it has designed a modular electric platform purpose-built to deliver maximum vehicle interior space and adaptable to support a wide range of vehicle types and applications for consumers and businesses. The pickup truck is the third vehicle that will be based on the company’s proprietary multi-purpose platform architecture.
The larger story, perhaps, is the company, not the vehicle. Canoo is a Los Angeles-based company that has, arguably, pioneering technologies. Its business model drops traditional ownership and is a glimpse at the future of automobility that other companies are also pursuing. Canoo will not have a physical sales network. The company will offer its product directly to customers via subscription, not ownership.
“Canoo will free its users from the long-term financial commitments, hidden costs, and stressful dealership and DMV trips associated with ownership by offering a simple EV subscription for one monthly, affordable, all-inclusive price. The subscription will include services such as registration, maintenance, insurance management and charging – all from a single app. Canoo brings the convenience and affordability of the well-known month-to-month subscription model to the car industry, providing consumers with the convenience and value they deserve,” claims Canoo.
The “Lifestyle” Canoo chassis is flexible and adaptable to a variety of configurations – van, pickup, SUV and delivery vehicle – among others.
Canoo said it designed the pickup truck to be “the most cab-forward and space efficient on the market, with massive cargo capacity on the smallest footprint possible. Thanks to the flexible platform and steer-by-wire, the passenger compartment was able to be shifted forward to maximize driver visibility.” The bumpers are designed with integrated tow hooks and metal skid plates on both the front and rear. “ Lined with trim and materials selected for durability, the extended cab vehicle has two seats in the front with a customizable rear compartment that can accommodate two additional seats or support additional purpose-built use-case configuration,” Canoo said.
Canoo’s pickup truck was built with qualities to help customers do more with their vehicles¹:
The pickup truck is the third vehicle that will be based on the company’s proprietary multi-purpose platform architecture, enabling the accelerated development timeline. Canoo’s EV platform functionally integrates all the critical components of an electric powertrain to be as flat and efficient as possible. Traditional EV platforms have power units, shock towers and mechanical steering columns that protrude into the vehicle and take up space. By incorporating steer-by-wire and other space-saving technologies, Canoo’s thin platform, with no need for an engine compartment, allows the company to offer a flatbed size comparable to America’s best-selling pickup truck on a smaller footprint. This makes the vehicle easier to maneuver and more convenient to drive and park in any terrain.
Vehicle specifications for the Canoo pickup truck include2:
Full specifications will be revealed closer to production.
Inevitable Footnotes
Management Team