For the past year, Auto Futures has been closely following the trajectory of Canoo. It’s just announced another landmark. The LA-based start-up is going public and will list on the Nasdaq.
Previously I saw its prototype vehicles and spoke with Canoo-ers. The canoo is a unique vehicle with some features that could be useful during the Covid-19 pandemic. Here are some interesting and unique details of the canoo.
Canoo is a subscription-based electric vehicle with à la carte features available on a month-to-month basis with no down payment.
Canoo Delivers Interior Space
The canoo has the interior space of a large SUV onto the small footprint of a compact EV because it uses a skateboard platform with the batteries in the base structure.
The company is named Canoo because canoes are very sustainable and effortless with cruising motion, Richard Kim, In Charge of Design at Canoo, told Jay Leno at the ArtCenter Classic when Kim referred to the canoo as a “City Van.”
The Space Race
I learned from Kim that two bicycles could fit in a canoo. I recently learned from a person familiar with the matter, “You do not necessarily need to put the seats down, the bike will fit in the main seating area. As long as you can safely secure it, it’s able to be transported in the main cabin.”
With the seats down – a canoe or small kayak could fit in a canoo. The back area with the huge storage space could mean a boon for Canoo for package delivery. Canoo is designing a commercial delivery B2B vehicle with expected delivery in 2023.
A canoo is easier to park than large commercial vehicles. The front area has clear glass on the bottom called the street-view window in which the driver sees curbs and can navigate better.
Previously, Kim told Auto Futures passengers can walk into a canoo which is a practical feature for people with disabilities or parents carrying a child seat. That walk-in feature also makes package delivery and sorting easier.
The canoo will launch with seven cameras, five radar units, and 12 ultrasonic sensors for level 2 plus autonomous driving safety features. A driver-facing camera will check if for driver attention
The vehicle has steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire enabling an easy launch into a self-driving future.
Social Distancing Driver’s v. Back Seat
The space between the front and passenger seats makes social distancing possible. “The furthest rear seats are 6 ft 6 inches from the driver and passenger seats.” reported a Canoo-er. 6’6” is a hair over two metres.
Super Air Filtration, Windows and Wellness
A canoo has at least four side opening windows for the front and back seats and a sort of moon roof venting similar to a classic VW bus on the top.
There will be a lot of air filtration and circulation in a canoo which could be just what your infectious disease doctor ordered.
A canoo has 16 vents/air outlets total: 2 outlets in the headliner for driver and passenger (4 total); 1 outlet in each C-pillar for the rear occupants (2 total), 2-foot outlets in the front; 2-foot outlets in the rear; and 3 side window demist outlets per side (6 total).
The front and back air vents are separated. The HVAC system is broken up into 3 zones. Driver, passenger and occupants in the back can control their own temperature setpoints.
There is also the main HVAC controller in the front headliner that controls all 3 zones and a secondary HVAC controller in the rear that controls the rear zone only.
Filtration is at a very high level. The front HVAC unit, which is the one that can let fresh/outside air into the vehicle has a regular PM 2.5 filter. This unit can be used for fresh air or recirculated air which is the air already inside the cabin. For efficiency, it might make sense to use one or the other.
The main HVAC unit in the rear is only circulation cabin air and is directly connected to the Canoo wellness package.
The wellness package contains two large high-efficiency filters under the second-row seat. These filters have a carbon layer, microfiber layer and bifunctional layer to address health risks like pollen, allergens, bacteria, viruses and so-called pseudo-allergens like NOX, VOC, Ozone, Aldehydes, Formaldehydes, etc.
The pre-filter in the front HVAC unit is used to filter the main particles and the wellness package upstream of the rear HVAC unit does the detailed/ fine filtration and is not exposed significantly to the outside air which will extend filter life.
There are both separate front and back air vents. The HVAC system is broken up into 3 zones. Driver, passenger and occupants in the back can control their own temperature setpoints.
There is also the main HVAC controller in the front headliner that controls all 3 zones and a secondary HVAC controller in the rear that controls the rear zone only.
We hope to see sustained growth through launch in late 2021.
Even before Canoo’s decision to go public the waiting list was growing.
“We have been extremely pleasantly surprised with the growth of the waitlist (or as we call it, The First Wave)! It’s been showing consistent, strong growth since we launched in January, despite everything going on” says the Canoo-er.
An appearance by Richard Kim and a canoo vehicle on Jay Leno’s Garage could have helped.
“Our signups were about to quadruple their normal rate the week after our episode with Jay Leno aired! Our partnership with Hyundai also helped to launch us into the public eye. We hope to see sustained growth through launch in late 2021,” notes the Canoo-er.
The storage aspect of the vehicle may be useful, especially or those who like, guacamole, avocado toast or like to pick avocados. Our source revealed an exclusive factoid to Auto Futures, 13,435 ripe organic avocados will fit in the back of a canoo.
Keyword: New Facts And New Features of Canoo’s Canoo – A Glimpse Into a Post-Pandemic Future