REE Automotive Ltd, an innovator in e-mobility, announced last week that its REEcorner technology has been awarded £12.5 million funding from the UK Government as part of a £41.2 million investment, coordinated through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC).

The funding boost is in line with the UK Government’s ambition to accelerate the shift to zero-emission vehicles and de-carbonise the UK’s transport networks. It follows an intensive vetting and selection process from which REE’s project was selected among dozens of companies.

Together, the four projects could save nearly 32 million tons of carbon emissions, which is equivalent to the lifetime tailpipe emissions of 1.3 million cars. The investment will help drive energy-saving technology across a wide range of vehicles and propel forward a green economy recovery.

The UK funds will allow REE to facilitate commercial production of its breakthrough REEcorner™ technology and ultra-modular electric vehicle platforms, including engineering design, validation, verification and testing and product homologation.

REEcorner technology packs critical vehicle components (steering, braking, suspension, powertrain and control) into a single compact module located between the chassis and the wheel, enabling fully-flat EV platforms. REE’s ultra-modular EV platforms are designed to offer enhanced payload capacity by providing more room for carrying passengers, cargo and batteries and enhanced body design flexibility and autonomous capability.

The journey to net-zero
Ian Constance, APC chief executive, said: “These projects tackle some really important challenges in the journey to net-zero road transport. They address range anxiety and cost, which can be a barrier to people making the switch to EVs and they also provide potential solutions to the challenge of how we decarbonise public transport and the movement of goods.

“By investing in this innovation, we are taking these technologies closer to the point where they are commercially viable, which will strengthen the UK’s automotive supply chain, safeguard or create jobs and reduce harmful greenhouse emissions.”

Lord Grimstone, Minister for Investment, said: “By investing tens of millions in the technology needed to decarbonise our roads, not only are we working hard to end our contribution to climate change, but also ensuring our automotive sector has a competitive future that will secure thousands of highly-skilled jobs.

“Seizing the opportunities that arise from the global green automotive revolution is central to our plans to build back greener, and these winning projects will help make the widespread application and adoption of cutting-edge, clean automotive technology a reality.”

Mike Charlton, REE’s COO, added: “We are honoured to have been selected as recipient of the UK funding to support REE investment in the UK automotive ecosystem following an extensive vetting and selection process. With the opening of our Engineering Center in the UK in February this year, this reaffirms our commitment to the region and is in line with our plans for the mass production of our breakthrough REEcorner and EV platform technology.

“The UK is an ideal location for a pioneering automotive company like REE thanks to the country’s commitment to vehicle electrification which dovetails with our vision of propelling a zero-emissions, greener future for our generation and those to come.”