REE Automotive has announced details of five newly designed REEcorner architectures, for use in supporting a wide range of commercial EVs. The REEcorner platform enables the design of customer vehicles based on specific requirements such as length, width and height.
The technology also allows variation in peak power from the e-motor between 35kW and 200kW. Alongside this, front or all-wheel steering can be added, and advanced suspension can be selected during the design process, capable of carrying loads up to 5,000kg.
REE’s electric vehicle platform packages the steering, braking, suspension, powertrain and controls in a single module positioned between the chassis and wheels, resulting in an entirely flat EV platform. This architecture enables a lower center of gravity and results in taller cabin designs, a lower step-in height and a larger load space, thus increasing vehicle capacity. REE estimates that vehicles built on its platform will feature up to 35% more interior space.
Daniel Barel, REE co-founder and CEO, commented, “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.”
The updated architectures will enable EVs to meet a range of customer requirements, from large passenger transport vehicles with efficient range attributes, to low-speed logistics vehicles with low-step-in designs, improved maneuverability and all-sides access for ease of loading and unloading.
REE co-founder and CTO Ahishay Sardes explained, “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 also includes the REEcenter ECU (electrical control unit) 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.”
