Hyundai and EV startup Canoo will join forces to develop an all-electric platform based on Canoo’s scalable skateboard design to be used by future Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles.
The collaboration will see Canoo provide engineering services to meet the needs of Hyundai and Kia and while the Los Angeles-based company is only a relatively new player in the EV sphere, it has been making a name for itself with its proprietary skateboard design. In September 2019, Canoo presented its spacious, subscription-only electric van that it hopes to start building in 2021.
Read More: Electric Startup Canoo Wants To Launch Four EVs
Hyundai says that by using Canoo’s skateboard architecture, it will be able to reduce costs for the development of electric Hyundai and Kia models and pass these savings onto consumers. In addition to the platform underpinning ‘traditional’ EVs from the South Korean car manufacturers, the Canoo architecture will also underpin Hyundai’s Personal Built Vehicles (PBVs) previewed at CES 2020 last month as one of its key pillars for its smart mobility solution strategy.
“We were highly impressed by the speed and efficiency in which Canoo developed their innovative EV architecture, making them the perfect engineering partner for us as we transition to become a frontrunner in the future mobility industry,” head of research and development at Hyundai Motor Group Albert Biermann said. “We will collaborate with Canoo engineers to develop a cost-effective Hyundai platform concept that is autonomous ready and suitable for mass adoption.”
“We have been working diligently to develop a bold new electric vehicle and partnering with a global leader like Hyundai is a validating moment for our young company,” Canoo boss Ulrich Kranz said. “It is a real honor for us to help Hyundai explore EV architecture concepts for their future models.”
