What Is 'Canoo'?
Canoo’s quirky electric Lifestyle Vehicles are super unique! Is this the right EV for your lifestyle?
Written by Katie Dyer
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
You’ve no doubt heard of some big-name EV companies like
Tesla
and Rivian. You may have even heard of Polestar. But have you heard of Canoo? Canoo is another American EV manufacturer, but with a very unique and unusual business model that is unlike anything else on the market. What makes Canoo unique?
Canoo started out as an LA-based company called Evelozcity in 2017. They have a plan to have a multipurpose skateboard platform with interchangeable “top hats” to change the configuration of the vehicles, even multiple different “top hats” on the same vehicle base over time.
Following along with this out-of-the-box business model is Canoo’s subscription service, which means you can subscribe to a vehicle for any amount of time with an affordable monthly fee.
The idea behind the
subscription plan
was that it would be ideal for drivers who didn’t want to own a car or be committed to one long-term. Plus, with the interchangeable “top hats,” second owners, or other subscribers, could change out the tops of the vehicles to accommodate different needs – cargo vans, campers, passenger transport all on the same base.
The ability to remove the top portions of the vehicles is only possible because, unlike most vehicles, Canoo’s drive-by-wire system embeds the motor controllers, the suspension, and the charger into the base platform enabling the “top hats” to go on and off with ease. There is no conventional steering column. Motors on the wheels receive electronic input from the driver to control the steering. There is a steering wheel, but the feeling of steering is an electronic simulation.
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Canoo has had a roller coaster couple of years
According to
MotorTrend
, the company has been through numerous changes since 2017, including changing names, partnering with Hyundai to build the skateboard platforms, changes in leadership, going public, Hyundai getting out of the partnership, and even more. They have goals to scale up to produce 70,00-80,000 units by 2025.
Despite all these changes, the company is still going strong and is now planning to sell its vehicles to consumers as well, instead of just subscription plans. The plan to have interchangeable “top hats” is still on the table.
MORE: How to Make Sure Electric Cars Are Greener
What is that crazy-looking vehicle?
The Canoo LV (or Lifestyle Vehicle) is very unusual looking—almost like a squared-off egg, boxy, but somehow also rounded. The shape and vibe are reminiscent of the old VW vans.
The rounded nose features a semi-see-through dashboard, and the steering “wheel” is actually a rounded rectangle shape. The seating in the back for the 7-seater option, is a wrap-around seat, more like limousine seating than a traditional SUV with parallel rows of seats.
There are panels throughout the vehicle that allow different accessories to be attached to modify and personalize your LV.
The compact LV has been called a “microbus,” easy to maneuver, easy to park, and able to carry a big group of people, all on a platform that is no bigger than a large car or a small SUV.
Canoo is more affordable than other EVs on the market. The Lifestyle vans will be released with three trim levels.
The entry point trim is called the Delivery and is a two-seater cargo van with a starting price of $35,000. The Premium trim level is $50,000, with the Base trim level falling somewhere in between. There are plans for a top-of-the-line Adventure trim level in the future with more rugged designs and features, but no price released yet. For comparison, Tesla and Rivian 3-row models are closer to $70k.
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