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Hyundai joins forces with Californian electric vehicle maker Canoo

The Korean giant has backed the Los Angeles start-up as it looks to the future of electric vehicles.


Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor Company is set to begin co-developing an electric vehicle (EV) platform with Californian subscription-only startup Canoo.

Hyundai plans to collaborate with Canoo on its ‘skateboard’ design, a fully-scalable architecture that sees all major EV components integrated into a low-profile frame designed to deliver less weight and fewer parts.

The skateboard is also a self-contained unit able to be paired with any cabin design.

Hyundai believes by standardising the skateboard design for use across its EV models, interior space can be increased and development processes simplified.

The marque claims this will reduce manufacturing costs, passing savings onto consumers and making EVs more competitively-priced against their internal combustion rivals.

However, Hyundai and Canoo are not the first to develop a skateboard architecture. Rinspeed released concept photos of its design in 2018, and Tesla had a bare skateboard displayed in its Martin Place dealership in the Sydney CBD all the way back in 2016.

The Jaguar I-Pace, Audi Q-Tron and Nissan IMQ EVs also make use of a skateboard design, while Ford has invested in Rivian with plans to use its design – even the United States Postal Service (UPS) have sourced an EV startup for their delivery van underpinnings.

The initiative aligns with Hyundai’s commitment to invest just shy of AU$100 billion into EV development by 2025.

Hyundai will also share the skateboard design with Korean carmaker Kia, who has pledged to invest over AU$37 billion in EV development and have ‘eco-friendly’ vehicles comprise 25 per cent of sales by 2025.

“We were highly impressed by the speed and efficiency in which Canoo developed their innovative EV architecture,” Hyundai spokesperson Albert Biermann said.

“We will collaborate with Canoo engineers to develop a... platform that is autonomous ready and suitable for mass adoption.”


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