Canoo unveils its electric pick-up truck
Electric vehicle startup Canoo has said it will launch a US-made electric pick-up truck in 2023, following in the footsteps of several competitors who are also entering the most popular segment of the US auto market.
Canoo CEO Tony Aquila revealed the timing of the truck and said the Los Angeles-based company is starting to receive initial orders in the second quarter of 2021, but he did not disclose pricing details.
Aquila told Reuters: It was aiming to launch the truck in the first quarter of 2023, and that Canoo would build the vehicle at a small US factory it intends to open.
"This isn't like any truck I've seen before, it's the size of a Ford Ranger, it can handle the load of a full-size pickup truck and has the turning radius of a Prius," he added.
Pickups are among the best-selling cars in the new car market in the United States, where Ford, General Motors and Stellantis NV dominate the gasoline-powered car sector and generate a large portion of these companies' profits.
While General Motors and Ford plan to introduce electric pickups with the intent to continue their dominance, Canoo and Tesla believe they can carve out a portion of the market as electric vehicle sales increase.
General Motors, Tesla and startups Rivian and Lordstown plan to introduce electric pickups later this year, with Ford following in mid-2022.
The Canoo pickup joins a lineup that includes a seven-seat capsule-like vehicle coming in the second quarter of 2022, a delivery van later that year and a sports sedan in 2025.
The minivan is targeting consumers and commercial customers alike, Aquila said, and the company is negotiating with states over the potential location of the plant.
Canoo developed the low-rise platform that combines batteries and electric motors with chassis components such as: steering, brakes and wheels, on which a variety of vehicle body types can be built.
The company said: Its pickup has up to 600 hp and an electric drive range of more than 320 km. Aquila expects the driving range to be 480 km or higher by the time the truck arrives.
The truck includes a front luggage storage area, a foldable worktable with electrical outlets and foldable side tables.