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Canoo's vehicle will be available in 2021, but
future," he says. "What's really going to happen
only through a monthly subscription.
is that more mobility will be shared, and that
"People are not buying vehicles anymore,"
will change the whole game. We won't be just
Kranz says. "Customers, especially the younger
selling cars but selling the time people spend
generation, are not willing to put down thouin cars being transported.
sands of dollars to buy a car or to worry about
"The digital experience in
all the things that come with purchasing a car."
the car, providing those digital
Although the price tag hasn't been revealed
services, will become a source
yet, he says, the cost will be "very attractive. ... A cusof profit-and this will be a funtomer can download our app, become a club memdamental change."
Breitfeld
ber, and the rest is on us."
After setting the scene with the
The new style and purchase options are arriving just in
FF91, Faraday Future plans to launch the FF81, which Breittime, as many consumers remain on the fence about EVs.
feld describes as a premium car appropriate for an upscale
The challenges were evident in the results of a recent
ride-sharing service. The $70,000-to-$80,000 FF81 will be
J.D. Power consumer survey. Although consumers
available in 2021 or 2022, he says.
see the environmental benefit of choosing an elecAnd in China, Faraday is working on the third
tric car, Power found that doubts remain about
generation, the FF71, a higher-volume production
battery life, driving range and the availability of
car that Breitfeld says will be designed for shared
charging stations-especially in an economy
mobility systems. Better and predictable vehicle
with relatively low gasoline prices.
quality, he says, will boost use of shared mobility.
Karma's Maloney says that with today's EVs,
"Even shared mobility will be segmented
range anxiety shouldn't be a problem for buyinto premium and mass-market services," Breiters. The Karma Revero GT, for instance, has a tofeld says. "And if you know you'll get the best
tal range of 360 miles including the recharging
service, you'll be prepared to pay more."
capacity of its onboard generator.
He expects Faraday to offer cars initially to
On top of that, he says, "The truth of the matter
consumers via outright purchase or a subscripis that most people do their charging at home. If
tion model. "I think we're transitioning from selling
you're driving, say, even 80 miles to and from work,
cars to a world where more and more cars are shared,"
you'll be charging at home and at work, where finding a
Breitfeld says.
charger isn't an issue."
The future of shared mobility also is key to the design
Even so, for those who are planning a longer-distance trip,
and sales model for Canoo.
the U.S. charging network is growing. Nationwide, there
"We are designing a product purposely for cities and urare 68,800 Level 2 and DC fast-charging units, the U.S.
ban environments and for shared mobility," says Ulrich
Department of Energy reported in May. About 11,000
Kranz, Canoo's co-founder and chief technology ofare DC, which can bring many EV batteries to an
ficer.
80% charge in half an hour or less.
Canoo thinks differently from other EV makers.
Although the total number of connectors has
"Even all the EVs out there today still look like
increased nearly 60% nationally in the past two
combustion-engine vehicles, with an engine
years, the biggest growth is where government
compartment, a trunk and a passenger compolicy encourages a shift to EVs. A third of the
partment," Kranz says. "We thought, 'This is not
charging units are in California.
necessary.' "
EV makers face other nagging concerns
Canoo previewed its first vehicle for the press
about the batteries that power their cars. The
this summer. Compared to a classic Volkswagen
world has a limited capacity of key battery inbus design, it prioritizes flexible cabin space, with
gredients, such as cobalt and lithium. And some
seating for seven, U-shaped sofas in the rear and
suggest that automakers' overall growth will be limno traditional dashboard.
ited because the production capacity of the world's
"It's not designed for high speeds but for space,"
battery suppliers is limited.
Kranz says.
"If sales volume explodes, it may be difficult to supply all the
Canoo's vehicle, built on a skateboard
batteries that are needed," says Faraday's Breitfeld. "In addition, the
platform that houses flat batteries, can be
energy needed to produce batteries is high. There has to be
topped with a variety of cabin designs.
more research and development in the battery sector to
The company is anticipating the fuFrom
improve on the situation we have."
ture, with a cabin that looks symtop: Karma's
Canoo's Kranz hopes that research across the
metric rather than having an obviKranz
Revero GT uses a gas
globe will produce a new type of battery-a
ous front or rear end-because
engine to power the battery;
solid-state version, such as the one Toyota
with autonomous driving, Kranz says, it shouldn't
Faraday Future sees growth in EVs
recently previewed. That would replace the
matter which direction the vehicle is pointing.
linked to shared mobility; Canoo
current lithium-ion generation, much as techThe Canoo's connectivity is designed to be
thinks EVs needn't look like vehicles
nology developments made the catalytic conready for the next level of autonomy, whenever
that run on internal combustion.
verter largely obsolete.
it arrives, he says. And the automaker plans to
"There are plenty of ideas out there," Kranz
offer a purchase model that it thinks will besays. "Someone will make the breakthrough." l
come more popular over time.

NOVEMBER 2019 · AUTOMOBILITY LA · 5

Automobility LA

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