Randy Krehbiel
Tulsa World Staff Writer
The first three electric vehicles off Canoo’s Oklahoma City assembly floor were delivered to the state of Oklahoma on Friday, the Office of Management and Enterprise Services announced.
“As we find new efficiencies within the fleet, Canoo’s new Oklahoma-made electric vehicles align perfectly with our fleet modernization goals, and I couldn’t be more excited to see them on the roads,” Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a press release.
Part of that excitement may be because of the considerable investment in time and business incentives for Canoo by the state of Oklahoma.
The Texas-based company originally planned to build its manufacturing plant in the MidAmerica Industrial Park at Pryor but instead refitted a heavy machinery factory in western Oklahoma City. MidAmerica is instead the site of a Canoo battery module plant.
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The vehicles delivered Friday are Canoo’s LDV 130, a mid-size van whose interior can be fitted for a variety of tasks, including delivery, transportation and service.
Three state agencies — OMES, Transportation and Corrections — were each assigned one of the vehicles. The total cost was listed as $119,850.
The state reportedly has an agreement to buy as many as 1,000 Canoo vehicles. In the last year the state has shed nearly that many internal combustion vehicles the Stitt administration said were not needed.
Canoo Chief Executive Officer Tony Aquila has said the company expects to eventually employ 1,300 people in Oklahoma City and Pryor.
“Canoo is proud to bring motor vehicle manufacturing back to Oklahoma and create high-paying jobs,” Aquila said in the press release.
“Our innovative LDV 130 delivery vehicles will work for Oklahomans and help state agencies improve fleet efficiency. Our vehicles are perfect for how the state uses vehicles today, and our advanced telematics and lower overall cost of ownership will continue to pay dividends down the road.”
In the spring, Canoo officials said the company had $3 billion in orders, but its stock has continued to slide through most of the year. It closed Friday, the last day of trading for 2023, at 26 cents, compared to $1.23 on the last day of 2022.
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