The startup that’s making an electric car you can subscribe to!
Electric cars are an increasingly popular way to get around but what if you’re hesitant to buy or lease this new technology?
Well, now one car startup thinks they have the answer: a car you subscribe to!
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“Most of the electric cars we see still look like combustion engine cars so to solve this issue to make an affordable car that offers a lot of space we believe is the right way to go,” says Stefan Krause with a startup called Canoo.
They recently unveiled their first car to the world, an EV by the same name, Canoo! It looks like a mix between a minivan and a SUV.
Inside the backseat it feels more like a living room, up front there is a minimalist aesthetic.
One unique aspect of this car, there is no traditional dashboard display, you simply place your phone in the dashboard holders and it tells you everything you need to know.
“You buy a new car and the first thing you do is buy an iPhone holder because you’re most likely not going to use the navigation from your car manufacturer. You’re most likely not going to use the music from your car manufacturer,” says Krause.
But the thing about this car is that you can’t buy it or lease it! Canoo is subscription-only. “Look at the young generation, they don’t want to own stuff anymore,” mentions Krause.
Subscriptions are month to month, when you have one the car is yours 24/7. “You own the car, we will take care of the car, we will maintain the car. You just pay a monthly fee. Also, you can walk away at any time,” says Krause.
Canoo believes this structure will entice owners to lend their cars out for ride-sharing during the hours they’re not using them like while working all day at the office. A green vision they believe can help reduce congestion and excess traffic on city streets.
Canoo is led by ex-executives from Uber, Tesla and BMW. They hope to have their car on streets by 2021, but the big question is how much the subscription will cost? They say that they plan to make it as affordable and accessible as possible.