Canoo Technologies announced Monday that the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is significantly expanding the scope of its previously announced partnership with the EV startup. 

Canoo says it has leveraged its commercial battery and integration expertise to deliver to the Department of Defense partners a technologically advanced battery pack that can be scaled for use on operational military platforms and will set the stage for standardization of energy dense lithium batteries for the U.S. Navy. 

Related: Canoo Delivers EV Pickup To Army For Evaluation

The announcement follows DIU’s testing and analysis of Canoo’s proprietary technology since February 2023.

The partnership is part of DIU’s Jumpstart for Advanced Battery Standardization (JABS) program (DoD Prototyping Commercial Batteries To Electrify Future Military Platforms (diu.mil).  JABS is working on accelerating “form-fit-function battery standards for defense” by using proven and protected commercial EV battery technologies in military applications.

“We are honored to deepen our collaboration with the Department of Defense,” said Canoo Chairman & CEO Tony Aquila in a news release. “We are inspired by their leadership and focus on encouraging American innovation.  A core value to our re-founding is to invent and leverage our technology to contribute to our nation’s leadership in defense technology.  We are guided by our commitment to continuously innovating our patented technologies to better equip our partners to win whether it be in commercial or consumer markets, or in aiding our nation’s defense.”

The EV startup is currently working on building out its Oklahoma City assembly line. In its first quarter report Canoo repeated it remains on track to end 2023 at a 20,000-vehicle run rate, ramping up to 40,000 vehicles in 2024. The EV maker recently released photos and video showing progress at the plant.

Canoo’s proprietary battery system is modular and offers what it claims to be industry-leading performance features, supporting various military applications and configurations. 

Designed for flexibility, modularity, and compatibility, Canoo claims its battery system is future proofed due to its capability to incorporate the latest battery technology advancements.

Canoo believes its agreement with DIU will be instrumental in achieving U.S. strategic energy resilience.

Canoo has a battery module manufacturing facility at MidAmerica Industrial Park in Pryor, Oklahoma, within the Cherokee Nation.  In phase one, Canoo says the new facility is expected to create over 200 advanced manufacturing jobs. 

Canoo is also aiming to be the first technology company to produce battery modules and packs primarily using hydro and wind power sources from the Grand River Dam Authority based in Oklahoma, Aquila notes.

Canoo says the DIU partnership expansion validates it’s technological and operational reliability as a select partner for what it says are some of the U.S. government’s most demanding projects. Canoo has delivered its Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV) to the U.S. Army and is supplying Crew Transportation Vehicles (CTVs) to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for the Artemis lunar landing missions. 

Investors are anxiously awaiting a date for Canoo’s 2nd quarter earnings call to get a sense of whether Monday’s announcement may help improve the company’s financial picture.

The start up lost almost $91 million in the first quarter against an order book valued around $2.8 billion, raising concerns about whether Canoo can generate enough cash to make it to a production ramp-up.

Financial terms of the DUI partnership expansion were not immediately announced by Canoo Monday but since the DUI is a government agency and Canoo is a publicly traded company, the value of the expanded partnership will likely be posted in the public domain soon.

Editorial disclosure: The author of this post is a Canoo stockholder.

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Canoo has delivered its new Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV) demonstration EV to the US Army.

Canoo was awarded an analysis and demonstration contract for the vehicle in July.

The EV startup says its LTV is engineered for extreme environments and includes stealth configurations.

Designed to be durable with a focus on passenger and battery safety, the LTV incorporates carbon Kevlar for strength without the added weight.

“The LTV is another milestone proving the power of our technology and how it can be used, even in tactical situations,” said Canoo CEO Tony Aquila in a news release. “This is a winning algorithm for our customers and company.”

The Light Tactical Vehicle can be converted from a pickup to a flatbed truck, a cargo vehicle and more. With a convertible flatbed platform, the LTV can carry standard sized plywood, construction and oversized materials, as well as tactical equipment or attachments missions.

Canoo says its proprietary modular attachment system and accessories quickly interchange the flatbed walls with many other types of mounts including racks, ramps, storage boxes, tents, or tactical systems.

The U.S. government reported the evaluation contract’s total value is $67,500. More importantly, it positions Canoo to potentially receive future orders from the Army.

The modular upfitting enables the LTV to have mission-specific configurations at a lower total cost investment, Canoo said.

The LTV has an all-wheel drive system with up to 600 hp. To support the increased demands of off-road environments, the LTV incorporates air-springs, a raised suspension, and 32-inch all-terrain tires to build higher ground clearance suitable for extreme or rugged conditions.

The delivery follows a flurry of developments. Last month Canoo announced it was on track to start building its Lifestyle Vehicle EV this year, with the first 15 LDV (Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle) going to committed order customers like NASA and Walmart.

EV Rider was given rare access to one of Canoo’s preproduction Lifestyle Vehicle minivans in September. That video and story can be seen here.

Editorial disclosure: The author is a Canoo stockholder.

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