U.S. Army Contracts $67,500 to Canoo for EV

The U.S. Army has selected Canoo, a high-tech advanced mobility company, to supply an electric vehicle for analysis and demonstration, according to a press release.

Canoo was unable to specify what kind of vehicle the Army will get. A communications spokesperson explained that is because with federal contracts, they are only able to share what is posted for the public. According to the initial solicitation, the Army was looking for a new light- to heavy-duty battery electric vehicle (BEV) or series-hybrid electric wheeled vehicle for government analysis and demonstration. 

Here are some of the specific vehicle requirements that were listed:

• Vehicle shall be able to recharge utilizing SAE-1772 combo connector or similar adaptor.
• Vehicle shall be equipped with 4-Wheel-Drive or All-Wheel-Drive.
• Vehicle shall have a minimum ground clearance of 8 inches.
• Vehicle shall have mud-terrain tires.  
• Vehicle shall be in the 5,000 to 10,000 pound curb weight range.
• Vehicle shall have the ability to power external systems with a minimum of one 120v outlet.
• Vehicle shall be capable of powering external systems without turning off/or disconnection of power supply.

The vehicle also needed to demonstrate the ability to "effectively generate, store, and distribute power to the soldier." 

The contract supports the U.S. military's focus to incorporate scalable and adaptable capabilities in operational and garrison environments.

"As an American company based in the heartland, it is an honor to be selected by the U.S. Army,” said Tony Aquila, investor, chairman & CEO at Canoo. “This is another opportunity to prove our proprietary technology – which is customizable and adaptable for multiple use cases and special environments.”

Canoo's multi-purpose platform was recently selected by NASA for crew transportation vehicles to deliver astronauts to the Artemis launch site for lunar missions to establish the first long-term presence on the moon.