Electric vehicle (EV) startup Canoo is preparing to begin delivery of its first Oklahoma-built units, with the initial batch going to the state.
Canoo is set to begin delivering its first units of the Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle (LDV), produced at its Oklahoma City plant, to the state’s Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), according to a press release shared on Monday. OMES plans to purchase its first three LDV units by the end of this year, and the parties have an agreement with Oklahoma for as many as 1,000 of the LDVs while Canoo continues ramping manufacturing.
“We are proud to be part of this historic moment as Canoo builds momentum on its road to full-scale production,” Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said in the release. “This marks Oklahoma’s return to vehicle manufacturing and proves ‘The Sooner State’ is the right place to grow cutting-edge businesses and create new jobs.”
The milestone marks the beginning of Canoo’s plans for phased-ramp manufacturing in Oklahoma, with the company planning to continue ramping production in the coming years. The release also says that unit deliveries will be made to Canoo’s key customers and partners in the remainder of this year, and the company plans to increase delivered units in 2024.
Additionally, the electric vehicle (EV) maker is hiring at both its Oklahoma City and Pryor facilities, expected to create as many as 1,300 jobs. The automaker also announced its American Bulldog pickup just last week, entering the increasingly-competitive electric truck sector.
Sculpted with grit, powered by innovation. The American Bulldog is paving new trails for the next generation of EV technology.#EV #Canoo #AmericanBulldog pic.twitter.com/dfl0Ptz2Ol
— Canoo (@canoo) November 10, 2023
“It’s an honor to partner with the state of Oklahoma and its workforce to create a legacy for electric vehicles in America’s Heartland,” Canoo Chairman and CEO Tony Aquila said.
“What is inspiring to me is that it takes just a small group of innovators and hardworking believers who find a way to win. I want to thank Governor Stitt and his team for believing in us. We want our vehicles to provide service to Oklahomans who have been our partners through this journey.”
The LDVs are built on Canoo’s configurable, multi-purpose platform and are intended for commercial and government fleet customers. Last December, Canoo delivered its very first units, Light Tactical Vehicles (LTVs), to the U.S. Army. In July, the startup also delivered three Crew Transportation Vehicles (CTVs) to NASA.
Canoo says the vehicles are also made to help fleet operators cut operating costs, a point that was reiterated in the announcement by OMES Executive Director John Suter.
“We are excited to add Canoo vehicles to the state’s pooled fleet as part of a broader initiative to improve efficiency, cut waste and improve stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” Suter said. “We look forward to evaluating these new assets and the role they can play in modernizing Oklahoma’s vehicle use.”
The startup has also elicited large fleet orders from commercial customers, including Walmart, Zeeba and Kingbee.
Updated 11/15/23: Corrected the second paragraph to note that OMES is purchasing the initial units by the end of this year, after originally reporting that the first few units had already begun delivery.
Canoo continues rapid production expansion with yet another new facility
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