Canoo, a California-based electric car start-up, has introduced its first electric vehicle, which resembles a VW microbus and function like a lounge on wheels.

The van will be available by subscription only and will not be sold, according to the company. The Canoo is a box-shaped structure that hides its batteries in the floor, which provides ample room up top. "We implemented the Bauhaus philosophy, which is centered around minimalism and functionality, and started with the reduction to the absolute minimal need," Canoo's lead designer, Richard Kim says.

The Canoo is not intended to travel at high speeds or to be especially agile. The van offers no off-road pretense. Rather its toaster-like shape delivers enough room for seven passengers, even though the van is somewhat shorter than a Toyota Prius. "We call it the post-SUV," said Ulrich Kranz, Canoo's acting chief executive, "because it offers a commanding seating position, like in an SUV, and pretty much the same space as a large SUV but on a way smaller footprint."

The founders of Canoo include former Faraday Future executives, who left the California-based electric car start-up established in 2014. Meanwhile, Canoo's founding chief executive, Stefan Krause, is a former BMW executive. The company is primarily bankrolled by three anonymous private investors, though the company hopes to attract more private sponsors.

The Canoo’s rear seats are arranged like a sectional sofa, and the rear side doors swing out instead of sliding like traditional minivan doors. Behind the back seats, there is ample cargo space, though larger items like bikes can be secured in the center of the passenger area. The van has fully electronic steering, so there is no mechanical link between the steering wheel and the front wheels. In its place, steering input is delivered electronically through wires from the steering wheel to the driving wheels, limiting the amount of space consumed by steering machinery.

The Canoo features a rectangular steering wheel, usual on concept cars but rare on production cars since they’re hard to steer during tight maneuvers like U-turns and parking. However, with electronic steering, the front wheels can be turned more for tight, low-speed maneuvers and less for smooth high-speed maneuvers.

Drivers can use phones or tablets to control music, navigation, heating and air conditioning using a downloadable app. The Canoo features several driver assistance and safety technologies and is equipped with various cameras, radar and sonar sensors for lane-keeping assistance, automatic braking and traffic-aware cruise control that slows down for vehicles ahead. Canoo will use software updates to enhance the van's potential in the future.

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The Canoo will be available through subscription by paying a monthly fee that includes registration costs, insurance, maintenance and charging costs. Production is expected to begin in 2021.