NASA and USPS discontinue use of Canoo electric vehicles even after CEO’s public endorsement

NASA and USPS Discontinue Use of Canoo Electric Vans

Both NASA and the United States Postal Service have ceased operating electric vans produced by Canoo, an EV startup that has since declared bankruptcy. This decision comes despite assurances from the company's former CEO that ongoing support for the vehicles would be provided.

In 2023, NASA acquired three Canoo electric vans, intending to transport astronauts to the launchpad for Artemis lunar missions. However, NASA informed TechCrunch that Canoo was unable to fulfill its operational needs. By October, NASA had switched to leasing the "Astrovan," a vehicle built by Airstream for Boeing's crewed space missions.

The USPS, in a statement, revealed that the six Canoo vehicles it obtained in 2024 for testing purposes are no longer in service. The postal service confirmed that its evaluation of the vans is complete and that it does not plan to make further investments. No additional information or outcomes from the evaluation were disclosed.

Prior to its bankruptcy, Canoo also supplied at least one demonstration van to the Department of Defense. The DOD did not respond to inquiries about whether it continues to use the vehicle.

Canoo’s Bankruptcy and Asset Sale

After years of financial instability and failing to secure a market for its electric vans, Canoo filed for bankruptcy in January 2025. Shortly thereafter, former CEO Tony Aquila submitted a $4 million offer to purchase the company’s assets. Aquila stated that his main reason for the acquisition was to uphold Canoo’s obligations to support certain government contracts.

It remains unclear whether Aquila ever contacted NASA or the USPS to discuss ongoing support for the vehicles. Neither agency provided details, and Aquila, along with his legal representative, did not respond to requests for comment.

In April, a bankruptcy judge approved the sale of Canoo’s assets to Aquila. However, he was not the only interested party.

Interest from Other Bidders

According to the bankruptcy trustee, up to eight groups signed non-disclosure agreements to review Canoo’s intellectual property, prototypes, and equipment. Several of these parties nearly submitted bids. Among them was Harbinger, an electric truck manufacturer in California founded by former Canoo employees, and Charles Garson, a financier from the United Kingdom.

Harbinger accused Canoo of concealing assets during the sale and claimed that the bankruptcy trustee showed favoritism towards Aquila by accepting his offer without broadly marketing the assets. Garson reportedly expressed willingness to pay up to $20 million for Canoo’s assets, but the court determined that he did not submit a formal bid in time.

The trustee and Canoo’s legal team argued that Aquila’s offer was the most reliable. They also noted that one of the other potential buyers—whose identity was not disclosed—might have raised concerns with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States due to foreign ownership, especially given Canoo’s contracts with NASA, USPS, and the DOD. Both Harbinger and Garson declined to comment on the proceedings.