Hyundai partners with EV start-up Canoo to develop cheaper electric cars



Hyundai Motor Group, the parent company to Hyundai and Kia, has announced that it will be partnering with Canoo to jointly develop an electric vehicle (EV) platform for upcoming Hyundai and Kia models.

The collaboration will see Canoo providing engineering services to develop a fully scalable all-electric platform to meet Hyundai and Kia’s specifications.

Canoo is a Los Angeles based start-up that has made a name for itself through its proprietary skateboard-style EV platform. The company recently introduced its first EV, a subscription-only electric van, which it aims to go to market by 2021.

Hyundai says that by using Canoo’s skateboard architecture as a starting point, development costs of future EV models can be reduced, and ultimately passed on to customers.

The development of a fully scalable platform can also help reduce assembly line complexity and aid in rapid development of new models, depending on changing market preference.

Other than passenger cars, Hyundai also plans to use the scalable platform to build its Personal Built Vehicles (PBV), previewed last month at CES 2020, as one of its key pillars for future mobility.

The partnership is part of Hyundai’s larger commitment to eco-friendly vehicles, with $87 US Dollars of investment planned over the next five years.

Last November, Hyundai also announced that it will be expanding its range of eco-focused line-up to 13 models by 2022, while it aims for 25% of total sales to be eco-friendly vehicles by 2025.

Hyundai Motor Group, Head of Research and Development, Albert Biermann said, “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.”

“We will collaborate with Canoo engineers to develop a cost-effective Hyundai platform concept that is autonomous ready and suitable for mass adoption,” he added.