Electric vehicles are much simpler than conventional cars with internal-combustion engines. The drivetrain usually only consists of the electric motors, which receive power from the batteries. An Israeli startup, called REE Automotive, plans to take that idea and turn it into a scalable and modular electric-vehicle platform.
With a platform like this, engineers will have much more freedom to create any vehicle type. In regular cars, it would take a lot of time to evolve the platform. With the REEcorner architecture, the startup claims that the development time will be cut significantly.
To make it viable for future car makers, REE Automotive built each needed component into a flat surface. The REEcorner features batteries, electric motor, drive-by-wire steering, and suspension components in a chassis that the startup calls REEboard.
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Right now, this is the only electric-vehicle platform that utilizes steering, braking, and drive-by-wire components. Moreover, the platform allows for easy replacement of parts – a single module can be replaced in only 20 minutes.
REE Automotive wants to sell the platform to numerous vehicle manufacturers. According to the startup, the platform is a viable solution for electric passenger cars, but also electric taxis, shuttles, heavy-duty trucks, and even buses.
Moreover, REEcorner architecture is fully prepared for an autonomous-driving future. Also, the REEboard makes it easy to add more batteries onto the platform for more extended range, something that existing carmakers have problems with.
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“If you want to change the wheelbase, if you want to change height…there are no ripple effects…the board is almost agnostic to the corners,” – said Daniel Barel, CEO, and co-founder of the company, when speaking at EcoMotion 2019. “The future is going to be powered by Ree.”
Apart from designing and delivering the platform, REE Automotive can also provide full-scale manufacturing via 300 facilities worldwide. The manufacturing facilities are a result of many partnerships the company already created.
Article References:
Mark Allen Engineering
REE
Image Source: REE
