EVelozcity, which was founded in late 2017 by three former BMW executives (and former Faraday Future employees), has a new name and a new business plan. The company will now be called Canoo, and will sell its electric vehicles only as part of a subscription model. The name was chosen in honor of the canoe, a simple and reliable vehicle used for thousands of years around the world. At first, the cars will be driven by drivers, but the goal is to equip them with enough technology and sensors to eventually become autonomous.
The first car from Canoo is due in 2021, and it will be a solution with a minimalist design and maximum interior space. While Canoo has only shown a rough look of the car, the company said it will offer SUV capacity in the form of a regular compact car. The project looks like a cross between a resurrected VW Bus from Volkswagen and autonomous low-speed modules that are present in small towns and on some public roads:
Canoo plans to build three more cars on a single platform with a battery and electric powertrain. She showed a rough exterior design, more reminiscent of the shape of traditional cars and designed to move around the suburbs. Canoo also plans to make a special vehicle for taxis and another one for delivery services. The company has previously stated that it intends to create cars that will retail for $35-50.
Canoo is yet to share specific pricing plans for its vehicles, but chief executive Stefan Krause told The Verge that the subscriptions will be very flexible. They can be issued for a month or 10 years: customers will be able to try out a car and decide whether it suits them, and if not, simply return the car to the manufacturer.
Canoo, headquartered in Los Angeles, is going to sell its cars (subscriptions, to be exact) in both the US and China. The company already has about 350 employees. It was reported that Magna could take over production, but the company is still in talks with several manufacturers in both the US and China.
Source: 3dnews.ru