This game-changing 'everything-by-wire' vehicle gets world-first certification and is set to transform the automotive industry.
This humble-looking, street-certified electric truck represents a radical leap forward - it's the first vehicle ever certified with no mechanical connection between the controls and the chassis.
Israeli company REE's wildly flexible EV platform starts out with a big, flat battery pack. So far, so normal. But there are no electric motors, axles, steering racks or hydraulic braking systems on top of it - or even any suspension systems directly attached to it. Instead, each wheel arch holds an electronically-controlled unit with everything from steering, suspension, electric drive motors, transmission, brakes, cooling and the wheels themselves built in. These entire units can be bolted on or off in seconds, making replacements or upgrades as quick as a tyre change.
The advantages? Well, there are lots of them. It's about the flattest chassis imaginable, so you've got more space on top for passengers, cargo or whatever else, and the floors can be as low as they come, for easy stepping in and out. The steering wheel and controls can be placed more or less anywhere, making it incredibly easy to create right-hand, left-hand or central drive vehicles.
On top of all that, literally, the incredibly flexible design allows you to build whatever kind of vehicle you like on top with almost no mechanically-imposed restrictions. So, the dull-looking vehicle in the photograph could actually look like almost anything you fancy.
And in a future-facing sense, these 'everything-by-wire' machines are just as happy to accept electronic control signals from an autonomous control system as they are from a human driver. Automotive companies can get a single chassis crash-tested and certified, and then be confident that it'll remain relevant long into the robotaxi era.
Here's a quick video to give you a bit more of an insight.