REE Automotive opens new engineering center in Warwickshire

Electromobility company REE Automotive announced that it has opened a new engineering center in the West Midlands to meet anticipated increasing demand for its technology.

The Israeli company announced that it will invest around £ 66 million over the next few years at its MIRA technology park facility in Warwickshire and create around 200 jobs to further develop its platform technology for electric vehicles.

“I am excited to announce another important milestone for REE to bring our technology and products to market as we expand our global presence,” said Daniel Barel, Co-Founder of REE.

“This new engineering center is a state-of-the-art facility that will allow us to expedite our validation, verification, testing and product homologation,” he added.

It comes about two weeks after an agreement was reached to bring the special purpose vehicle acquisition vehicle 10X Capital Venture Acquisition Corp. public.

REE also plans to set up 15 “integration centers” around the world to assemble its components. The first opening in the USA is planned for this year.

REE is a startup that has developed two core technologies: REEcorner, which connects all the key parts of a vehicle such as the steering to the wheel arch, and REEboard, a flat modular platform that can support autonomous vehicles.

It is claimed that its electric vehicle platform can include a completely level floor and the engine, steering, suspension and braking are controlled by the four separate wheel modules.

Barel said the group expects the first REEcorners to be shipped to customers next year and mass production of the technology will begin the following year.

The company says its REEcorner technology can connect all the major parts of a vehicle to the wheel arch. His boss assumes that the first REEcorners will be delivered to customers next year

Mahindra and Mahindra, one of India’s largest companies, are among the companies that have entered into cooperation agreements with REE for the possible production of commercial electric vehicles.

Mike Charlton, REE’s chief operating officer, said a primary reason for starting the company in the UK was the government’s forward-thinking vision and zero-emissions policy, which is perfectly in line with REE’s goal of ushering in a more sustainable and green future for us generation and the coming. ‘

The UK was the first country in the world to legislate the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. As part of that goal, it has brought forward the date when sales of new gasoline and diesel vehicles will be banned by 2030.

Electric car sales even surged 43 percent to over 3 million in 2020, despite people buying 20 percent fewer cars as the coronavirus pandemic led to a drop in demand

Last year car sales in the UK fell to their lowest level since the early 1990s. However, purchases of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles rose significantly, with the former increasing 185.2 percent, according to the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

A similar trend was observed around the world. Electric car sales rose 43 percent to over 3 million, despite people buying 20 percent fewer cars. Tesla sold roughly half a million, the most electric vehicles of any brand.

Revenue is expected to continue to grow and the UK government two weeks ago announced a £ 20 million investment in the construction of new electric charging stations.

Getting drivers out of polluting vehicles in electric cars is part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “Ten Point Plan” which aims to create a “green industrial revolution” for Britain.