South Korean automotive giant Hyundai Motor Group has teamed up with California-based electric vehicle (EV) startup Canoo to borrow its signature chassis ideal for electric vehicles to strengthen its EV edge.

Under the contract, Hyundai Motor Co. and sibling Kia Motors Corp. will be accessed to Canoo’s proprietary vehicle platform called skateboard, because it is essentially a flat rectangle with four wheels attached. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Canoo’s skateboard design places not only the battery but also the motor and controller under the passenger area, giving more interior space and flexibility in designing a car. The Korean carmakers believe Canoo’s skateboard architecture would help build a simplified and standardized platform for their EV models as well as cut production costs.

Their new EV platforms will be mainly applied to power small-to-mid sized electric passenger cars as well as the so-called purpose-built vehicles, designed for a specific application like last-minute delivery and self-driving shuttles.

The latest deal is part of the Korean auto conglomerate’s effort to accelerate the development of next-generation mobility technologies. Last year, Hyundai Motor announced it will invest 41 trillion won ($34.5 billion) in new mobility technology development until 2025, with half of its new line up devoted to electric models.

Canoo started in December 2017 to launch its own electric car in September 2019. The company plans to roll out its first EV in 2021.

By Kang Gye-man and Cho Jeehyun

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