REE Automotive has started trials of a new electric vehicle platform designed for commercial delivery vehicles and walk-in vans.

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Dubbed the P7 and on display at this month’s CES event, it’s been developed based on specifications from one of the world’s largest delivery companies and has been designed to radically simplify development times of electric commercial models. As with REE’s other EV platforms, it’s designed for OEMs, delivery & logistic fleets, Mobility-as-a-Service providers and new mobility players to design bespoke EVs and AVs based on their exact business requirements.

The platform supports gross vehicle weight ratings of up to 7.5 tonnes and with a payload of up to 3,992kg. REE is also targeting a range of up to 370 miles and max speed of 80mph.

The fully flat P7 platform maximises interior space, enabling it to transport up to 35% more packages than comparable commercial vehicles, according to the firm, and can carry up to 30 passengers. It also offers low step-in height and features REEcorner tech – which packs critical vehicle components into a single compact module positioned between the chassis and the wheel – and X-by-Wire technology, which offers independent wheel control for enhanced driving dynamics and safety with all-wheel steer, drive and brake options.

The P7 modular platform is optimised for fleet owners looking to create their own commercial vehicle brand, bespoke design and market differentiation utilising the REE configuration.

The firm also says it can provide the lowest TCO due to its Battery-as-a-Service, Data-as-a-Service and fast REEcorner swap offer. Data-as-a-Service will also provide fleet managers with complete visibility and actionable insights over their fleet operations.

Daniel Barel, REE Automotive co-founder and CEO, said: “The P7 platform is paramount in commercial vehicle design, safety and functionality. True to our vision of providing complete modularity and versatility, this platform can be configured in different sizes and optimised to suit a particular application and use case. The P7 will utilise REE-Hitachi’s Data and Application as-a-service capabilities of injecting intelligence and actionable insight info fleet operations and affording fleet owners complete visibility over their operations allowing faster time to market, lower total ownership costs and suite of lifecycle services.”

The first P7 platform prototypes will be available for customer evaluation in Q1 2022 with trials to take place at the REE Engineering Centre of Excellence in Coventry, UK and at the REE Advanced Research & Development Center in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Alongside its Israel-based HQ and Engineering Center in the UK, REE also has subsidiaries worldwide including Japan and Germany, and plans to open its US headquarters and first Integration Center in Austin, Texas.