What the car is and where it came from
The Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle is a battery electric vehicle launched in 2019. Richard Kim led its design. It was built on a shared skateboard platform. It offered minivan, cargo van and pickup truck body styles. Canoo declared bankruptcy in January 2025.
How it works, in terms someone would actually use
It uses a rear-mounted traction motor to drive the rear wheels. It shares one skateboard platform across minivan, cargo van and pickup truck body styles. The cargo van variant entered production in 2023. The Light Tactical Vehicle was delivered to the U.S. Army for evaluation.
What it gets right
It gets right the separation of battery architecture from body form. It gives each variant identical range estimates: 400 km (250 mi). It delivers functional variants to real users: delivery fleets and the U.S. Army.
What it does not
It does not deliver sustained production beyond the LDV. It does not offer all-wheel drive outside the LTV variant. It does not survive as an operating company.
What it changed
It demonstrated how a single skateboard platform could underpin multiple commercial and tactical body styles—minivan, cargo van, pickup truck, and light tactical vehicle—without mechanical re-engineering.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for fleet operators evaluating modular EV platforms and military procurement teams testing light tactical mobility. It is not for private buyers seeking warranty support, service networks or resale value.
Is it worth your time
Yes—if you need a modular electric van platform that reached limited production before its maker collapsed. No—if you seek a functioning, supported vehicle or long-term ownership proposition.
