Israel-based REE Automotive (REE) revealed 5 new and improved REEcorner architecture designs and the technology behind its EV platforms designed to support a broad range of commercial electric vehicles. REE intends to provide a comprehensive range of technical configurations to fulfill 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 5,000 kg and more.

REE’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.

REEcorners

REE’s fully flat EV platforms are designed with a lower center 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 center of gravity will also allow for taller cabin designs and lower step-in height, yielding more volumetric efficiency.

REE EV platform

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.

—Daniel Barel, REE Co-Founder and CEO

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 maneuverability in congested urban streets.

REE’s EV platforms are designed to offer best-in-class driver ergonomics, enabling the creation of commercial delivery vans with low center of gravity, 360° all-side accessibility and unrestricted visibility for easy loading/unloading in docking stations.

Unlike in-wheel motor systems, the motors in REEcorners are fully sprung masses, positioned on the chassis side of the suspension. By minimizing unsprung mass, REEcorners are designed for optimal ride and handling vehicle dynamics.

REE’s plan to utilize 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.

—Ahishay Sardes, REE Co-Founder and CTO

REE expects that electric vehicles built on REE’s EV platform will offer up to 35% 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 maneuverability in crowded zones.