Canoo announced Wednesday it is partnering with AA in the United Kingdom on charging infrastructure support, service and repair as it eyes to secure the first commercial fleet and government customers in the region.
Before the year ends, the company will register both its Lifestyle delivery van (LDV) models with the UK’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), allowing them to be legally driven on UK roads.
Earlier this month, the company received Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) regulatory certification in the UK, confirming that its right-hand drive electric commercial vans meet the national technical requirements.
The AA will allow drivers to access 24/7 support including battery-related issues and other EV-specific challenges, according to Canoo.
Tony Aquila, CEO of Canoo, said the AA will allow the company’s commercial and government customers in the UK to access “world-class expertise” adding that “Minimizing downtime for commercial fleets is essential for maximizing productivity and profitability.”
“The AA, which was established in 1905, has an impeccable reputation and response time and will provide our commercial and government customers in the UK with access to world-class expertise in electric commercial vehicle service, maintenance and repair including breakdown services, and charging infrastructure support,” Aquila said.
“Minimizing downtime for commercial fleets is essential for maximizing productivity and profitability. Every moment a vehicle is off the road translates to lost revenue and potential delays in service delivery, which can ultimately affect customer satisfaction and reputation. We are partnering with The AA to ensure shorter downtimes, enhance productivity, improve service quality, and ultimately driving increased business productivity,” the executive added.
Last month, Canoo’s CFO Greg Ethridge revealed in a webinar that the company expects “to have vehicles” in the UK and “pilot with them by the end of the year”.
The EV startup said it secured the regulatory approval “in just three months with less than 2% changes to Bill of Materials (BoM)” of its US-certified RHD LDV 190.
In late September, the company said it was expanding its operations to the United Kingdom with the establishment of a customer and activation center in Bicester Motion.
The company will offer test drives of the commercial electric vans later this year and a brand activation center which is planned to open later this month.
Ethridge has recently detailed that the pilots do not require a big investment they allow the company to start “building relationships with the largest fleets in these markets”.
Canoo has recently withdrawn its guidance for revenue, manufacturing run rates, as well as the production and delivery of vehicles for 2024 and subsequent periods.
