Canoo opens first electric van site in England

The new site, at the Bicester Motion automotive campus, marks the EV automaker’s first European location and will allow UK customers to experience and test-drive its right-hand-drive electric vans.

The line-up includes the Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle (LDV) electric van – already successfully used by NASA, Walmart and the US postal service – and available in two sizes, the LDV190 and LDV130 and as a pickup truck.

The Bicester Motion site will serve as Canoo’s future operations, customer and activation centre, providing a base for its commercial efforts across the UK and Europe.

The firm said the UK is a global pioneer and leader in EV adoption with one of the most ambitious regulatory frameworks in the world.Canoo also pointed to the importance of the Government’s Plug-in Van Grant, which currently runs up to 31 March 2025 and offers up to £2,500 for small vans and £5k for large vans, available on eligible vehicles.

Tony Aquila, investor, executive chairman and CEO of Canoo, said: “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.The UK activation centre at Bicester Motion will allow us to leverage the 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.”

The EV maker added that the site, a 444-acre future mobility estate converted from a former WWII Royal Air Force base, was chosen due to the location’s history in automotive innovation, making it an ideal hub to showcase its electric vans and connected with a community of more than 50 automotive brands. The site also underscores the long-standing partnership between the US and the UK.

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