ENVO's Modular UPT Platform Aims to Fill the Gap Between E-Bikes and Small EVs

Burnaby-based ENVO Drive Systems is accepting pre-orders for its Utility Personal Transporter (UPT), a modular electric vehicle platform designed to cover the gap between e-bikes and small passenger cars. The UPT platform supports at least 18 battery-powered vehicle configurations — from microcars, snow plows, and lawn mowers to airport-terminal shuttles — all built around a standardized chassis, drivetrain, and control architecture. Founder Ali Kazemkhani, who started the company in 2015, likens the system to working with Lego blocks: clients can "build, tailor and customize the vehicle that you need for your industry and use case" through an online configurator at modular-ev.com.

What the UPT platform actually delivers

The configurator lets buyers choose among eight steering and brake-system variants, seven seat types, two- or four-wheel drive motors, and single or dual battery packs. A single-battery UPT vehicle can cover up to roughly 200 kilometres in ideal conditions, with a payload capacity of 250 kilograms and a towing capacity of 350 kilograms. The platform is designed to meet Low Speed Vehicle and Neighborhood Electric Vehicle regulations in North America, which limits top speed but opens access to parks, campuses, industrial sites, and residential roads without full DOT certification.

Pricing ranges from US$8,000 to US$14,000 (approximately C$11,000 to C$19,300 at current rates), depending on configuration. Kazemkhani told Sustainable Biz Canada that mass-produced parts keep costs low, while the modular architecture cuts prototype timelines from two years to mere weeks. ENVO has tested golf-cart, buggy, and scooter variants in Burnaby and plans to showcase the platform at CES in Las Vegas in January 2027.

Where ENVO fits in the Canadian EV landscape

ENVO has already reached more than 40,000 riders in North America through its e-bike and e-scooter lines, giving the company a distribution base that many EV startups lack. The UPT platform is assembled in Burnaby for the Canadian market, and ENVO is in discussions with manufacturing partners for other countries. The company says it is in talks with businesses across 18 industry verticals — including agriculture, mining, security, and film production — and has received pre-orders from almost all of them, with deliveries targeted for early 2027.

For Canadian fleet operators or municipalities weighing electric utility vehicles, the UPT offers a domestically assembled alternative to Chinese-made golf carts and ground-support equipment. Whether it can scale from niche orders to volume production remains the open question. Kazemkhani acknowledges the novelty: "We are introducing a new concept. No one has done this before." If the early 2027 deliveries arrive on schedule and hold their price promises, the UPT could become one of the most distinctive Canadian EV stories of the year.

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