Walmart has struck a deal with Canoo to buy thousands of vans from the electric vehicle startup. The retail giant said on Tuesday it will buy 4,500 of Canoo's Lifestyle Delivery Vehicles (LDVs) and is willing to buy more if needed. The vehicles will be used to deliver online orde

Walmart has struck a deal with Canoo to buy thousands of vans from the electric vehicle startup. The retail giant said on Tuesday it will buy 4,500 of Canoo's lifestyle delivery vans (LDV) and is willing to buy more if needed. The vehicles will be used to deliver online orders. The move is part of Walmart's goal to eliminate emissions from its operations by 2040, the company said.

Canoo showed off the LDV in 2019 and has since shown off a larger van and a pickup truck. LDV is expected to begin production in late 2022 and will be delivered to first customers, including Walmart, in 2023. Canoo announced LDV pricing for 2021 starting at $34,750.

The vehicle is best described as a roomy, pod-like minivan that would be ideal for shuttle services as it can accommodate up to seven people. At 173 inches long, it's about 14 inches shorter than the Tesla Model Y, but its interior space is similar to that of a large SUV, according to Canoo. Cargo space is 120 cubic feet.

LDV is based on Canoo's own platform, which combines the battery and powertrain with a steer-by-wire system, with no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and wheels. The battery is an 80-kilowatt-hour unit estimated to provide about 250 miles of range. Production of Canoo vehicles will take place at a plant under construction in Pryor, Oklahoma. The company was previously based in Los Angeles but moved operations to Bentonville, Arkansas, last year.