The popularity of electric vehicles is increasing day-by-day, they are a common site on the roads of big cities. However, you’ll never see one on the trails. Trucks and 4x4s seem to have avoided electrification, not for long though.
Jeep has teased an electric Wrangler, an EV Hummer is on its way, and now there’s a new kid on the block – the Canoo pickup – not the Canoo you’re thinking of, that’s spelled canoe.
So, enjoy your arctic ice melting and polar bear killing diesels while you can because the end is near.
Or is it? As of today, I don’t think it is. For a pick-up truck, it might work well. However, with 200 miles of range, any remote exploring will be impossible.
The Canoo pick-up has some clever tricks up its sleeve though; so, let’s dive a little deeper.
Firstly, who are Canoo? Well, they are an LA-based company aiming to develop breakthrough purpose-built electric vehicles. These small LA EV companies seem to be popping up by the day lately. That means more choices for us! Great!
Canoo Bed Size
There is no doubt that this truck is cleverly packaged. The fact that it’s electric provides ample amounts of space to put the cabin as far upfront as possible. This gives the truck a huge bed for its size.
The Canoo pickup is smaller than a 4Runner but it boasts a six-foot-long bed that can be extended to a fully-enclosed eight foot one.
Such details make you wonder why pick-up truck manufacturers hadn’t thought of anything like this for so many years.
Fold-Down Work Table + Cargo Storage
Talk about the perfect setup to put your fridge and cooktop while out camping! With the best possible customer utility in mind, the pickup features a front cargo storage area with a fold-down work table.
The best thing is that the storage area has electrical outlets; therefore, a small fridge along with some dry food can be easily stored in there making grabbing your cooking essentials a breeze.
There are Flip-Down Side Tables on the Canoo
Is the cargo space and worktable upfront too small? Well, the bed also has flip-down tables and power outlets. Therefore, your large fridge and cooking utensils/food can all be stored in the bed while you cook on the side table.
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Modular Bed With Space Dividers
To make the storing of your food and cooking utensils even neater, Canoo has gone a step further by installing a space divider system.
This should keep items separate and secure. In the bed, you will also find modular wheel chocks to secure bikes and configurable tie-downs for large equipment, ladders, or anything you might want to carry.
Canoo Sidestep + Storage
The clever packaging continues on the side of the vehicle where you will find a hidden sidestep that can provide quick and easy access to the truck bed.
But wait, even the sidestep has storage. An area for items such as a first aid kit, cooler for snacks and drinks, lockable laptop storage, and more can be found underneath the sidestep.
Multi-Accessory Charging Port
So, until now I’ve mentioned two power outlets on this truck. Well, there are more. Power is available on all sides of the vehicle.
It can run tools and devices all day with as little as 10% impact on the vehicle’s range. Time to throw your Jackery power stations away, I guess.
Canoo Has Integrated Overhead + Bed Perimeter Lighting
Are you sick of not being able to see a damn thing in your truck’s bed at night? Canoo have thought about that as well.
The third brake light can double as an overhead light to illuminate the cargo area at night. All sides of the bed wall are also equipped with perimeter lighting for added visibility.
Roof Racks
For those who need some extra storage space, Canoo offers optional roof racks. Access to the rack will be easy thanks to the flatbed or sidestep mentioned earlier. By the render above it seems that a light bar might also be an option.
Canoo Camper Shell
Perhaps the most interesting render out of all is the one above. According to the press release, the truck has been designed to be compatible with a variety of camper shells.
This one looks pretty cool, and with the autopilot technology on EVs evolving faster than ever I thought possible, it won’t be long before your camper truck will drive you in great comfort to the trail head.
Power/Payload
When it comes to power, there’s plenty of it in the Canoo. Up to 600 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque with dual motors (there is also the option of just a rear motor).
So, your funky-looking pick-up truck will probably be faster than most 10-year-old supercars. The world is getting stranger and stranger.
Payload comes in at a modest 1800 lbs. For camping though, that’s more than enough.
Can Canoo Make a Good Adventure Vehicle?
For now, the answer is no. That is if you want to travel to the most remote places.
If your adventures consist of paved miles and some trails close to the motorway, then this truck will be perfect for you.
There are limitations though. I am not sure how a winch could be installed on this vehicle and even if a way was found – it would add weight and drain the batteries.
Electric vehicles are still in their infancy but all emerging EV manufacturers seem to have an open-minded approach to them.
There are plenty of touches on the Canoo pickup that make you wonder why the big manufacturers like Dodge, Ford, and Toyota haven’t thought about such details for so long.
I wouldn’t use the Canoo Pickup for adventures just yet. But if I needed a pickup for work around the city, I would look no further!
What do you think? Would you change your Rams, Tundras and F150s for an EV pickup out of LA?