A US-based electric vehicle company has announced it will base its UK commercial operations in Oxfordshire.

Canoo Inc, established in 2017, has selected Bicester Motion, the 444-acre future mobility estate in Bicester as its UK commercial operations and activation centre.

The company has developed "breakthrough" electric vehicles with pioneering technologies, unique design, and business model that spans multiple owners across the full lifecycle of a vehicle.

It has teams in California, Texas, Oklahoma, and Michigan and supplies large commercial fleets in the US, UK and Middle East with both right-hand and left-hand drive products.

Canoo has leased an office at Bicester Motion for its UK team in Building 108 along with vehicle storage facilities in Historit, the on-site managed car storage for historic, classic and modern motorcars and motorcycles, and event activation services at the estate’s Scramble events.

Canoo, which has delivered crew transportation vehicles for NASA’s Artemis Missions, recently debuted its right-hand drive commercial vehicles, the 130 and 190 LDVs, and hosted and attended numerous fleet shows and customer test drives on tracks.

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The UK opening will enable the company to leverage the wide-ranging talent in surrounding Motorsport Valley and focus on the plug-in van grant (PIVG) to drive demand and reach the UK government’s zero-emissions goals.

Canoo has recently announced its partnership with The AA in the UK for premium roadside assistance services to commercial and government customers.

Tony Aquila, Canoo’s investor, executive chairman and CEO, said: “Canoo’s mission is to bring EVs to everyone.

"We have chosen Bicester Motion as an iconic automative campus that reflects the company’s spirit of innovation and commitment to sustainability.

An electric vehicle charging (Image: PA) "As a former WWII Royal Air Force base, the decision for Bicester Motion to be our UK centre reflects the long-standing partnership with the United States and UK, a relationship built on shared values, economic collaboration and mutual trust.

"Through our partnership, we aim to strengthen Canoo’s UK presence while driving forward our mission of delivering sustainable mobility solutions globally.

“This move signifies a pivotal step in Canoo’s global expansion, setting the stage for the company to introduce ground-breaking commercial electric vehicle (EV) solutions to the UK.”

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Daniel Geoghegan, chief executive officer, Bicester Motion added: “We warmly welcome and relish the opportunity for technology pioneers to join our community to positively shape the future of mobility.

"Over the last decade, we have built a world-leading community for more than 50 disruptive mobility leaders, manufacturers, innovators and change-makes who have a shared passion to deliver the mobility solutions we need for tomorrow.

“Canoo shares our vision and we are pleased to provide them with a dedicated centre of excellence from which they can launch their UK operation and establish another international marque at Bicester Motion.”

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