Meet the All-American EV Pickup Truck: Canoo
As the gateway to an all-electric green future swings open, we are seeing a wider range of available vehicles. At first, hybrids such as the Toyota Prius ruled the roost. Then all-electric sedans and hatchbacks such as the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Bolt brought all-electric travel to the masses. But now, America’s favorite four-wheeled obsession has appeared on the EV landscape in the form of, you guessed it, the pickup truck.
While Tesla is fooling around with a stealth bomber design, Ford blew us away with its new F-150 Lightning truck. At the same time, a start-up company called Rivian unveiled its RiT offering an imaginative list of futuristic accessories and features including something called a “tank turn”, and a new all-electric Hummer is poised to bring thrills to those who can afford its six-figure price tag
Other EV battle trucks are on the horizon including a flexible and fun vehicle by a new Los Angeles-based automaker named Canoo. Known for its snub-nosed delivery van, Canoo has entered the rugged race of EV pickups with an unconventional truck design. Rather than giving Americans more of what they are used to, as Ford did with the Lightning, the Canoo electric pickup is a stubby affair with equally unconventional dimensions.
What Makes Canoo Different?
The entire truck measures just 184 inches from nose to tailgate, and the bed is 72 inches long and 21 inches deep. A clever 30-inch extension turns the barn door tailgate and bed floor extension into more room for hauling up to 1,800 pounds. It all rides on Canoo’s multi-purpose platform architecture that is used on its delivery vans.
This all-American, purpose-built truck reminds us of a Swiss Army knife in that it offers ingenious pull out electrical-powered workbenches, a modular bed with space dividers, fold down side tables and lots of cargo space. The company says that you’ll be able to order a rear canopy to enclose the back for camping as well as a roof rack and over-the-cabin tent. There are several pull out compartments for storage (much like the Rivian) and four standard electrical plugs in the bed to power your family camping adventures.
Is the Canoo EV Pickup Right for You?
At a recent unveiling of the new truck, Tony Aquila, the Executive Chairman of Canoo, told reporters and members of the automotive press, “Our pickup truck is as strong as the toughest trucks out there and is designed to be exponentially more productive. This truck works for you. We made accessories for people who use trucks – on the job, weekends, adventure. You name it, we did it because it’s your platform and she’s bad to the bone.”
The Canoo pickup truck (which is just called the Canoo pickup) will come in both rear-wheel drive only and all-wheel drive configurations, the latter adding an electric motor up front. Canoo says that the most powerful variant will ante up about 600 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque and a driving range of over 200 miles. The battery pack is designed to be updated so it won’t become outdated, and its steer and brake by wire systems eliminate the need for a steering column.
With its meaty wheels and tires (that measure 265 60r18), and cab forward design, it reminds us of the Robinson family’s space van from Lost in Space. It even sports a rectangular steering wheel that is pure sci-fi. This multi-purpose transport, however, does not include the robot. Though, who knows what the next model update will bring.
You can pre-order your Canoo truck now, with deliveries beginning in 2023. For more information, visit www.canoo.com.
Image sources: https://www.canoo.com/pickup/
