EV startup Canoo has delivered three crew transportation EVs to NASA’s Kennedy Space in Florida where they’ll be used to transport astronauts to the launch pad.
The EVs are NASA’s first zero-emission crew vehicles to transport Artemis mission astronauts. NASA’s Artemis mission will return US astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972. After that, NASA plans to take what it learns to eventually send astronauts to Mars.
While the EVs are based on Canoo’s Lifestyle Vehicle electric minivan, the NASA versions have what Canoo says is an exclusive interior and exterior design for the mission.
See Also: Additional Canoo stories and video coverage
The journey from Kennedy Space Center grounds to the launch pad is the nine-miles.
“We are thrilled to be a part of the Artemis missions and to deliver NASA’s first zero-emission built for mission crew transportation vehicles,” said Canoo Chairman & CEO Tony Aquila, in a Wednesday news release.
Special Delivery! 🚚
— NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (@NASAGroundSys) July 11, 2023
3 specially designed, environmentally friendly crew transportation vehicles from Canoo have arrived at @NASAKennedy. Today, Artemis launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson and team, along with officials from Canoo, will be taking the vehicles for a test… pic.twitter.com/jM19GcgdL1
The EVs are engineered to carry fully suited astronauts, flight support crew, and equipment to the launch pad.
The Artemis II is the first crewed mission that is part of NASA’s plan to establish a long-term presence on the Moon for science and exploration. A 10-day flight will test NASA’s human deep space exploration capabilities with the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. The flight will be the first one carrying astronauts using the new system.
“It’s a very proud day for Canoo and all of our partners who worked so hard to ensure we perform our part to transport the astronauts for the first nine miles of every launch,” said Aquila.
Canoo says the delivery was made “on time.”
Canoo CEO @TonyAquila8020 with a big smile delivering the NASA CTV’s today!
— oonac (@oonac15) July 12, 2023
Image Credit: NASA/Isaac Watson pic.twitter.com/xKboKCaCvB
It follows news earlier this week that the U.S. Department of Defense is expanding its partnership with the EV startup to look at ways to scale Canoo’s battery pack technology for use on operational military platforms, which Canoo says will set the stage for standardization of energy dense lithium batteries for the U.S. Navy.
Canoo has delivered NASA’s first zero-emission crew vehicles to transport Artemis astronauts. We’re honored to contribute to space exploration alongside Gemini, Apollo, & Mercury. #Artemis #SpaceExploration #CanooToMoon #NASA pic.twitter.com/NDpCxTSQRJ
— Canoo (@canoo) July 12, 2023
In its first quarter earnings report Canoo said it had an order book valued at $2.8 billion with customers that include Walmart.
Canoo is currently building out its assembly line in Oklahoma City where it expects to begin volume production by the end of the year.
Editorial disclosure: The author of this post is a Canoo stockholder.