Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Walmart has opted to integrate Chevrolet BrightDrop 400 electric vans into its last-mile delivery fleet, deviating from an agreement from 2022 with electric vehicle maker Canoo to purchase thousands of Canoo’s electric delivery vehicles.
In July 2022, Walmart announced a definitive agreement with Canoo to acquire 4,500 of its all-electric Lifestyle Delivery Vehicles (LDVs), with an option to increase the order to 10,000 units.
Walmart intended to deploy Canoo’s vans for online orders and its GoLocal delivery service. However, for publicly unknown reasons, the EV startup has never announced a mass production timeline after the tests done by Walmart with its vehicles since 2022.
The BrightDrop 400 electric vans will launch in Austin, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, northwest Arkansas, Orlando, and the San Francisco Bay area by year-end. According to Chevrolet, the pilot revealed the vans’ strengths in terms of battery reliability, maneuverability, and ergonomic design.
“BrightDrop vans are purpose-built to get the job done safely and efficiently while helping businesses like Walmart decarbonize their fleet,” said Sandor Piszar, vice president of GM Envolve, highlighting the technology and design tailored to driver needs.
Canoo’s LDV, initially expected to hit the road in 2023 for Walmart, was intended to facilitate sustainable deliveries.
Shares of electric vehicle startup Canoo are trading nearly 10% higher on Tuesday at $0.43 following two consecutive days of 30% drop in each one of them.
If Canoo’s shares remain below Nasdaq’s $1.00 minimum bid requirement for the next twenty consecutive trading days, the company will receive a non-compliance notice from the exchange.
Last week, the company announced it had furloughed 23% of the workforce at its Oklahoma production facility as part of what it described as a “broader realignment of North American operations.”
However, local news outlet KFOR reported discrepancies in the company’s figures. Reporter Dylan Brown cited multiple employees who claim the furlough affected closer to 80-90% of the plant’s staff rather than the 23% stated by Canoo.
Canoo’s internal memo, issued by General Counsel Hector Ruiz, notified staff that the furlough period may be “adjusted at the sole discretion of the company.”
In addition to the furlough, employees were informed that health insurance coverage would end effective October 31, the day they were notified. However, on Saturday, Canoo issued a new statement extending health benefits for furloughed workers through November 30, responding to concerns raised by affected employees.
In a new statement, the EV maker said on Saturday it would extend healthcare benefits for furloughed employees from October 31 to November 30, responding to feedback from affected workers.
“We are committed to supporting our impacted workers during this challenging time and will provide necessary resources to assist them,” Canoo said.
As of Sunday, Canoo listed 76 open positions on LinkedIn, including roles for a Security Manager, Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) Manager, and a software engineer specializing in over-the-air updates.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
