EV startup Canoo gets into the electric pickup race

The electric vehicle startup Canoo, which went public in late 2020, is the latest company to gamble on consumer interest in battery-powered pickup trucks.

Driving the news: The Los Angeles-based company hopes to begin delivering them as early as 2023, with preorders opening in Q2 of this year.

• It's designed with features that help it function as a work truck, such as fold-down workbenches and a charging port for tools.
• But they're saying it's designed for "work [and] the weekend," and planned options include a roof rack and camper shell attachments.
• "The toyish truck shows just how far Canoo is willing to push the design of the microbus-style vehicle it first debuted back in 2019," The Verge reports.

Why it matters: Pickups are an immensely popular consumer segment, so startups and legacy automakers alike see a chance to capture a piece of that market with electric versions.

• It's one of several models coming from companies including Ford, Tesla, GM and Rivian .

By the numbers: Canoo says it's planning a vehicle with over 200 miles of range, with up to 600 horsepower and an 1,800 pound payload capacity. The truck bed is six feet and can be extended to eight feet.

What we don't know: The price.