EV startup Canoo has announced it will supply the United States Postal Service (USPS) with six examples of its LDV 190 throughout this quarter.
The USPS is embarking on the widespread electrification of its fleet and plans to have a fleet of more than 66,000 EVs, with at least 45,000 miles of them to be on the roads by 2028. It has already announced that it will deploy 9,250 Ford E-Transits across the country and is also analyzing Canoo as a potential supplier.
It is unclear why the USPS and Canoo have agreed to an initial order of six examples but that’s likely all the postal service needs to analyze the electric vehicle and determine its suitability as a delivery vehicle. Canoo says the vehicles it will supply the USPS “will leverage [its] patented technologies to deliver enhanced functionality, safety, and ergonomics.”
Read: USPS Rolls Out First Charging Stations For Fleet Of Ford E-Transits And Other EVs
“The multi-purpose platform with steer-by-wire technology and a unique low-profile suspension system allows for a readily configurable right-hand drive system while maintaining desired roll and ride stability,” added Canoo chief executive Tony Aquila.
This is not the first time that Canoo has supplied a handful of its vehicles to an important U.S. agency as in July last year, it supplied NASA with three of its EVs to serve as Crew Transportation Vehicles for the Artemis moon missions.
Four months ago, Canoo struck an agreement with the Department of Commerce in Oklahoma to establish a 500,000-square-foot factory in Oklahoma City that will employ 500 people. This site will include a general and final vehicle assembly line, advanced robotics, a paint shop, and a body shop. Canoo also intends to build a battery factory in Pryor, Oklahoma.
