The company’s proprietary REEcorner technology packs critical vehicle components into a single compact module positioned between the chassis and the wheel.
16 Mar 2021 | 10052 Views | By Autocar Professional Bureau
Israel-headquartered REE Automotive (REE), a leading technology provider for electric vehicles, has revealed 5 new and improved REEcorner architecture designs and the technology behind its EV platforms designed to support the broadest range of commercial electric vehicles.
The new REEcorners is said to showcase the versatility that can be ...
This is an Autocar Pro Plus article. Subscribe to continue reading.
Israel-headquartered REE Automotive (REE), a leading technology provider for electric vehicles, has revealed 5 new and improved REEcorner architecture designs and the technology behind its EV platforms designed to support the broadest range of commercial electric vehicles.
The new REEcorners is said to showcase the versatility that can be afforded to customers when it comes to designing vehicles based on their requirements. REE intends to provide a comprehensive range of technical configurations to fulfil specific B2B customer needs, including EV platform size selection based on preferred length, width and vehicle height; front, rear or all-wheel-drive with peak motor power ranges of 35 to 200 kW; front and all-wheel steer; advanced suspension capabilities; payload capacities of up to 5,000kg and more.
The company’s proprietary REEcorner technology packs critical vehicle components into a single compact module positioned between the chassis and the wheel - including steering, braking, suspension, powertrain, and control – resulting in a fully flat EV platform. Unlike diesel/fuel vehicles or conventional EVs, REE’s fully flat EV platforms are designed with a lower centre of gravity than vehicles with the motor located in between the wheels, and are intended to carry more passengers, cargo and batteries. REE’s smaller footprint and lower centre of gravity will also allow for taller cabin designs and lower step-in height, yielding more volumetric efficiency.
REE Automotive has numerous partnerships in place globally, including a recent pact with Mahindra & Mahindra that was announced in August 2020. REE’s innovative technology enables fully-flat and modular EV platforms that can carry more passengers, cargo and batteries as compared to conventional electric or internal combustion vehicles, thereby improving next generation e-mobility for new electric and legacy OEMs, logistics companies and service providers.
Daniel Barel, co-founder and CEO, REE Automotive said: “A bold new era for mobility demands a bold reimagining of what a vehicle can and should be, and that’s what we’ve done with REEcorner and our revolutionary EV platforms. We believe that REEcorner technology will enable new EV platforms and designs to be adopted at lower costs and with faster development times than conventional EV skateboards.”
According to the company a variety of mobility players will be able to use REEcorners and EV platforms to custom-design vehicles to meet their exact needs. For example, by adopting REE’s platforms, Mobility-as-a-Service providers can be empowered to build front-wheel drive e-shuttles with maximum payload capacity for transporting passengers with minimal kWh consumption. Conversely, logistics companies will be able to choose low-speed, all-wheel drive, all-wheel steer REEcorner configurations for last-mile delivery, with low step-in-height and minimum turning radius for easy manoeuvrability in congested urban streets. The EV platforms is said to be designed to offer best-in-class driver ergonomics, enabling the creation of commercial delivery vans with low centre of gravity, 360-deg all-side accessibility and unrestricted visibility for easy loading/unloading in docking stations.
Ahishay Sardes, co-founder and CTO, REE Automotive said: “Unlike in-wheel motor systems, the motors in REEcorners are fully sprung masses, positioned on the chassis side of the suspension. By minimising unsprung mass, REEcorners are designed for optimal ride and handling vehicle dynamics. REE’s plan to utilise true x-by-wire technology to control each of the corners of the vehicles with full drive- by-wire, brake-by-wire and steer-by-wire technology is expected to deliver vehicle stability, responsiveness and safety with fully independent wheel control. REE’s design further includes the REEcenter ECU (Electrical Control Unit) system to coordinate all four independent REEcorner ECUs, a thermal management system, power converter and power module. We believe that future customers who choose to build their electric vehicle fleets leveraging REE’s technology and EV platforms will benefit from significant operational and functional benefits over conventional EV fleets.”
EVs and autonomous vehicles built on REE’s technology is said to offer more space for passengers, cargo, and batteries. It expects those electric vehicles built on REE’s EV platform will offer up to 35 percent more interior space than comparable commercial vehicles of similar size, providing much more room for cargo and goods and thereby necessitating fewer delivery routes for reduced carbon impact. Furthermore, REE’s smaller footprint saves valuable space in warehouses and parking areas, while allowing for easy manoeuvrability in crowded zones.