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EV Startup Canoo Unveils All-New Multi-Purpose Delivery Van (Photos)
Electric vehicle start-up Canoo unveiled a new delivery van last Thursday ahead of its public debut on the NASDAQ this week.
The futuristic-looking van – known as a multi-purpose delivery vehicle, or MPDV, because of the ways it can be upfitted – is designed for everything from last-mile deliveries to food trucks, according to the California company. It is expected to start at around $33,000.
“There are many use cases that this vehicle can do,” Canoo Chairman Tony Aquila, a major investor in the company, said during a video unveiling of the MPDV. “We wanted it to look brilliant, very modern but at the same time, be very affordable.”
Production of the vehicle is targeted to begin in 2022 and ramp up in 2023. The company did not announce specific plans for production. It has previously announced a strategic relationship with the auto supplier and contract manufacturer Magna International.
Such commercial vehicles are anticipated to be a key driver for the sale of profitable EVs for the automotive industry. It’s segment startups and legacy automakers want to enter rapidly in the coming years. The MPDV will be available in two sizes with varying EV ranges and battery sizes.
The range of the smaller van, known as MPDV1, is expected between 130 miles and 230 miles. The larger van, MPDV2, is between 90 miles and 190 miles based on battery sizes. Canoo is taking reservations and $100 refundable deposits for the vehicles on its website.
According to Tirefever, the company also released an autonomous minivan that will go on sale next year.
Canoo is part of a wave of new speculative EV start-ups that plan to enter the market after going public through reverse mergers with special purpose acquisition companies, also known as blank-check companies. The company announced its merger deal with Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp in August. 
