REE Automotive shares a robotic assembly update and teases the prototype van

Company and supplier of platforms and technology for electric vehicles REE Automotive has offered two updates of its progress in the commercial EV segment. First, REE has proven its approach to a robotic cloud-based build, and plans to implement it in the UK and then in the US. In addition, REE introduced its first commercial EV, developed in conjunction with JB Poindexter’s subsidiary, EAVX. The REE Automotive prototype van will begin customer evaluation this summer.

Background

REE Automotive ($ REE) is a company dedicated to e-mobility solutions, headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, with additional prints in the US, UK and Germany. Last summer, REE has announced US headquarters is planned in Austin, which is scheduled to open sometime in the second half of 2022.

The company specializes in the development and production of modular EV platforms for B2B transactions, as well as patented REEcorner technology.

2021 was a busy year for REE Automotive, as she announced cooperation with Magna International and Toyota Hino Motorsnot to mention additional collaboration with Hitachi America to provide platform solutions Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) and Analytics-as-a-Service (AaaS).

At CES in early January, REE automotive shared details of its P7 platform specially designed to suit deliveries. After two upgrades from REE just this week the company is making steady progress in achieving large-scale commercial production and will begin evaluating a prototype van on the aforementioned P7 platform.

Renewal of commercial REE production, including van platform

The first REE update came on Monday morning when the company publicly shared its progress in production as it plans to open its first highly automated “Integration Center” in Coventry, UK.

У his press releaseREE has confirmed that cloud-based robotic assembly lines have proven successful and will start operating in Coventry to serve Europe.

REE states that the initial facility in Coventry will serve as a model for all future integration centers and will initially focus on the production of the P7 platform to support electrified vans, buses and vans. Its initial production capacity will be 40,000 REEcorners this year, which is 10,000 EV.

The next integration center is already planned in Austin, Texas, which will serve North America, and by 2023, REE’s global production is expected to double to 20,000 vehicles a year. REE CEO Josh Techn spoke about the company’s progress:

This is an important milestone on our path to commercial production next year. The automated and connected capabilities on our Coventry site are an excellent foundation for our global operations as they allow us to continually customize our build procedures and quickly deploy them to other sites. Our cloud-based robotic manufacturing system will become the digital foundation for our assembly lines and give us local capabilities to manage our manufacturing operations for specific customers, and allow us to quickly share and scale best practices internationally across all plants.

REE says it is working with Rockwell Automation and Expert Technologies to implement and optimize its robotic assembly lines. They are expected to start working in the UK in the second half of 2022. Check out the robots in action below:

REE is teasing a prototype of an all-electric minibus

A day after the news of its commercial production of robots REE Automotive offered to update its prototype van, developed in conjunction with a subsidiary of JB Poindexter, EAVX. The initial collaboration was announced in July 2021 with a particular focus on the last mile shipping market in North America.

Now, less than a year after the initial announcement, REE and EAVX have a prototype van that will soon begin evaluating customers. The Class 5 electric van is on the PE platform from REE, in what the company calls “the first van on the market”.

The body of the van will be promoted by EAVX through the production of JB Poindexter subsidiary Morgan Olson. We are told that since the latter has not yet made public the body of the truck, REE should also refrain – hence the reason for the dim image you see below.

According to REE Automotive, the first prototype van will be built at EAVX in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and evaluations will take place in a few weeks in the Detroit area this summer. This assessment will allow you to compile a list of customers who are pre-booked to familiarize yourself with EV and ensure the security of orders. Daniel Barrel, co-founder and CEO of REE, spoke about the company’s progress in less than twelve months:

EAVX and REE are fulfilling our joint promise from last year and at a record pace. The road tests of our Class 5 minibus are a testament to the strength and progress of our EAVX partnership. We are pleased that customers will be able to experience the unique benefits of the first x-by-wire vehicle built with best-in-class Morgan Olsen body and REE device, which is a clear step towards solid orders.

When the prototype van goes into production, we can expect it to be assembled at the aforementioned integration centers in both the UK and the US. Currently, deliveries are on schedule for 2023.

Electric take

Both press releases welcome news from REE, which continues to push to actually bring to market its charged wire technology. At the same time, the company’s news is not beating as hard as before.

Don’t get me wrong, updates are better than radio silence, but it feels like REE has reached a point when it’s time to start showcasing some of its technology to the public instead of offering vague press releases. I’m not hinting that at REE headquarters anything is going down; I really think the opposite.

However, there were many competitors in this market who acted with similar secret behavior and ended up delivering nothing. REE is on the right track, starting to evaluate the fleet’s customers this summer, but I hope the media is also invited.

If all the signs really point forward for REE cars, its van and EV platform technology, it’s time to start showcasing it … publicly.

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