REE Automotive opens new engineering centre in the UK

REE Automotive has opened a new state-of-the-art engineering centre of excellence at the MIRA Technology Park in Warwickshire. The new centre will expedite REE’s strategic plans to meet anticipated global demand for its REEcorner and electric vehicle (EV) platform technology.

The new centre represents an investment of around £66m for the Israeli company and is expected to create approximately 200 highly skilled jobs at the site over the next few years.

The engineering centre will spearhead REEcorner and EV platform engineering design, validation, verification and testing, as well as product homologation. It will support REE’s capex-light manufacturing model of globally located integration centres, creating scalable and agile unit economics. REE intends to assemble components at its integration centres and expects to establish a network of 15, with the first one set to open in the United States in 2021. REE plans to manufacture via a network of Tier 1 partners in over 30 countries, with point-of-sale assembly.A recently announced merger with 10X Capital Venture Acquisition Corp, and funding from long-term strategic investors, has given REE sufficient capital to accelerate mass production of REEcorner technology and modular EV platforms.

Daniel Barel, REE’s co-founder and CEO, said: “I am excited to announce another major milestone for REE towards bringing our technology and products to the market as we expand our global footprint.

“The first REEcorners are expected to be delivered to customers in 2022, with mass production beginning in 2023. This new engineering centre is a state-of-the-art facility allowing us to accelerate our validation, verification and testing as well as product homologation.”

REE’s proprietary REEcorner X-by-wire technology integrates all critical vehicle components (steering, braking, suspension, powertrain and control) into the arch of the wheel. This concept, unique to REE, allows a completely flat and modular electric chassis and provides customers with full design freedom to create the broadest range of electric and autonomous vehicles. According to REE, EVs and AVs built on REEcorner and EV platform technology will offer more room for passengers, cargo, and batteries in a manner unprecedented in the industry. REE’s proprietary technology is agnostic to vehicle size and design, power-source and driving mode (human or autonomous).

Mike Charlton, REE’s COO, added: “A key driver in our decision to establish our presence in the UK is the UK government’s forward-thinking vision and zero-emissions policy that perfectly aligns with REE’s goal of heralding a more sustainable, greener future for our generation and those to come.”