In 2023, NASA purchased three electric vehicles to use as shuttles for astronauts on the Artemis lunar mission. However, the space agency has now stated that Canoo no longer meets mission requirements and that instead, they will lease an Airstream Astrovan. This minibus is based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with an internal combustion engine for Boeing's space missions.
Meanwhile, the United States Postal Service (USPS) told TechCrunch that the six vehicles it purchased "for evaluation" in 2024 are no longer in use. "The evaluation is complete," the postal service wrote, "no further investments are planned." The USPS declined to provide details or final evaluation results.
It is known that another demonstration vehicle was provided to the US Department of Defense, but it did not respond to inquiries about the fate of the vehicle. The British postal service Royal Mail also began testing two Canoo electric vehicles and planned to purchase 2,000 units in the future, but what happened to these test vehicles is unknown.
Founded in 2017, Canoo developed a universal platform, on which vehicles with different body types could be produced: from minivans to double-cab pickups. At its peak, the company employed 800 people; even Hyundai wanted to merge with the startup for joint electric vehicle platform development.
But everything went downhill after the credits ran out. Last year there were massive staff cuts, and in January 2025 the startup declared bankruptcy. It is still unclear what will happen to the remaining Canoo electric vehicles. They may someday appear for sale at an auction or disappear forever, heading for recycling.
Source: TechCrunch