EV startup Canoo unveiled 2 futuristic electric delivery vehicles to take on vans coming from Rivian, Ford, and Mercedes

Tim LevinDec 18, 2020, 20:28 IST

Canoo MPDV.Canoo

Electric-vehicle startup Canoo unveiled two delivery vans Thursday and announced that a third, larger version is in the works.
The futuristic-looking MPDV1 and MPDV2 will offer up to 500 cubic feet of cargo room and get an EPA-estimated range of up to 230 miles.
Canoo offers customizations like storage lockers and shelving, and said large customers can develop a fleet of custom vans.
Limited availability starts in 2022, with full-scale production beginning the following year.

Tesla may have a lineup of electric luxury cars and a battery-powered semi on the way, but it doesn't offer any smaller work vehicles for last-mile deliveries and small businesses. EV startup Canoo is targeting that exact space with a new lineup of futuristic electric delivery vans it announced Thursday.

Canoo unveiled two multi-purpose delivery vehicles - a small MPDV1 and a medium-sized MPDV2 - and announced that a third, larger MPDV3 is in the works as well. The customizable vans can be tailored for use with many different types of businesses, Canoo said.

Legacy automakers and startups alike have announced plans for battery-powered work vans, with Rivian, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Bollinger all making inroads into the space in the last couple of years.

EVs are well-suited for commercial use, because range often poses less of a problem, commercial vehicles tend to follow predictable routes, and EVs are cheaper to run and maintain than gas-powered vehicles.

Learn more about Canoo's delivery vehicles - which the company says will hit streets in 2022 - below.

The MPDV1 - the most compact van of the bunch - starts at $33,000.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

It's 14.4 feet long and offers up 230 cubic feet of cargo space, including both the rear area and the cabin.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

About as long as a Toyota C-HR, it's smaller than typical cargo vans on the market today, but Canoo says it gave the MPDV1 a small footprint so it can get around in urban environments and fit in height-restricted areas.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

About as long as a Toyota C-HR, it's smaller than typical cargo vans on the market today, but Canoo says it gave the MPDV1 a small footprint so it can get around in urban environments and fit in height-restricted areas.

The MPDV2 is taller, wider, and longer than its little sibling, offering 500 cubic feet of cargo room, about the same as the largest 2020 Ford Transit van available.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

Both vans come with the same motor that produces 200 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

And both can be optioned with a 40-kWh, 60-kWh, or 80-kWh battery pack.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

Canoo expects an EPA-rated range of 130-230 miles for the MPDV1.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

It predicts that the MPDV2 will earn an EPA estimate of up to 190 miles.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

Since Canoo's vans are meant more for urban use than highway trips, range shouldn't be much of a concern. But Canoo says that the largest 80-kWh battery pack can be fast-charged from 20% to 80% in 28 minutes.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

Since Canoo's vans are meant more for urban use than highway trips, range shouldn't be much of a concern. But Canoo says that the largest 80-kWh battery pack can be fast-charged from 20% to 80% in 28 minutes.

Canoo envisions that the vehicles can be used for much more than just deliveries.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

The vans come with features like a bidirectional charge port that lets customers power tools like saws and air compressors.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

Inside the cab, there's a workstation to the left of the driver where they can rest a laptop or a notepad.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

Canoo also plans to offer customizations like different types of doors, storage lockers, and shelving.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

A fold-out side wall could turn the MPDV into a food truck, while pull-out shelves could be useful at a farmer's market, the company said.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

Large customers will have the option to co-develop a custom MPDV for their specific needs, Canoo said.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

Canoo announced its last model would follow a subscription model, but its new delivery vehicles are available to preorder with a $100 deposit.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

The MPDV will start to be available in 2022, with full-scale production starting in 2023.

Canoo MPDV. Canoo

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EV startup Canoo unveiled 2 futuristic electric delivery vehicles to take on vans coming from Rivian, Ford, and Mercedes

The MPDV1 - the most compact van of the bunch - starts at $33,000.

It's 14.4 feet long and offers up 230 cubic feet of cargo space, including both the rear area and the cabin.

About as long as a Toyota C-HR, it's smaller than typical cargo vans on the market today, but Canoo says it gave the MPDV1 a small footprint so it can get around in urban environments and fit in height-restricted areas.

The MPDV2 is taller, wider, and longer than its little sibling, offering 500 cubic feet of cargo room, about the same as the largest 2020 Ford Transit van available.

Both vans come with the same motor that produces 200 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque.

And both can be optioned with a 40-kWh, 60-kWh, or 80-kWh battery pack.

Canoo expects an EPA-rated range of 130-230 miles for the MPDV1.

It predicts that the MPDV2 will earn an EPA estimate of up to 190 miles.

Since Canoo's vans are meant more for urban use than highway trips, range shouldn't be much of a concern. But Canoo says that the largest 80-kWh battery pack can be fast-charged from 20% to 80% in 28 minutes.

Canoo envisions that the vehicles can be used for much more than just deliveries.

The vans come with features like a bidirectional charge port that lets customers power tools like saws and air compressors.

Inside the cab, there's a workstation to the left of the driver where they can rest a laptop or a notepad.

Canoo also plans to offer customizations like different types of doors, storage lockers, and shelving.

A fold-out side wall could turn the MPDV into a food truck, while pull-out shelves could be useful at a farmer's market, the company said.

Large customers will have the option to co-develop a custom MPDV for their specific needs, Canoo said.

Canoo announced its last model would follow a subscription model, but its new delivery vehicles are available to preorder with a $100 deposit.

The MPDV will start to be available in 2022, with full-scale production starting in 2023.