Canoo establishes UK arm

Nasdaq-listed commercial EV maker Canoo has moved into the UK market by launching a new subsidiary in the country. The new firm will be based at the Bicester Motion automotive campus.

The move is a first step to introducing Canoo’s commercial EV solutions to UK customers. Bicester Motion will serve as Canoo’s future operations, customer and activation centre. Canoo’s space is set to open next month.

The US firm sees the UK as having “one of the most ambitious regulatory frameworks in the world. Under its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, 70pc of new vans sold must be zero-emission by 2030, increasing to 100pc by 2035.

Citing data from industry lobby group, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), earlier this year the UK saw 17 consecutive months of growth in the light commercial vehicle market. The small van market has been particularly strong in 2024, with demand up by 42pc year-to-date.

“Our expansion into the UK is a key milestone in our global growth strategy, enabling us to establish a local presence for our commercial customers to better serve their needs,” says Canoo CEO Tony Aquila. “Six months ago, we debuted our right-hand drive vehicle, the USPS’ LDV 190, and also our LDV 130, and hosted and attended numerous fleet shows and customer test drives on tracks to establish ourselves as an American partner in the region.

“The UK activation centre at Bicester Motion will allow us to leverage local expertise while strengthening our commercial operations in this high-potential market that provides incentives including the plug-in van grant to help the growing demand and reach the government’s zero-emissions goals,” Aquila continues.

While Aquila is an American, he claims a track record of leading business that have enjoyed success in the UK market.

Canoo promises to “take a customer-centric approach to entering the UK market focusing on configuration to meet the diverse and immediate needs of its commercial and government fleet customers”. “Canoo’s strategy will include pilots followed by rollout of vehicles, and the company will work directly with customers to create solutions that meet their specific demands,” the firm says.

The firm has been vocal for several months on global ambitions that stretch beyond orders it has already secured in the Middle East. But it has also been shoring up its US base in Oklahoma, including shipping in equipment it bought, ironically, from bankrupt UK e-van maker Arrival, moving more engineering talent to OK and securing activation of its plant's foreign-trade zone status.

“We relish the opportunity to welcome like-minded technology pioneers to the UK to join our drive to positively shape the future of mobility,” says Daniel Geoghegan, CEO of Bicester Motion. “Over the last decade we have built a world-leading community for disruptive mobility leaders, manufacturers, innovators and change-makers who have a shared passion to deliver the mobility solutions we need for the future.

"It is clear that Canoo shares our vision, and we are pleased to provide them with a dedicated centre of excellence from which they can launch their UK operation and to establish another international marque at Bicester Motion.”