REE Automotive, a leader in emobility based in Tel Aviv who also recently opened an office in Austin Texas, has revealed its autonomous concept vehicle, the Leopard. It is based on a brand new ultra-modular electric vehicle (EV) platform design.
The full-scale concept is geared for customers including last-mile autonomous and electric delivery companies, delivery fleet operators, e-retailers and technology companies seeking to build fully autonomous solutions.
REE’s fully-autonomous delivery fleets will allow customers to build autonomous and electric vehicle fleets according to their exact specifications with no wasted interior space for transporting passengers and cargo. This is thanks to REE’s fully flat electric vehicle platform with in-hub electronic motors.
REE’s technology can be seamlessly integrated with any ‘top hat’ and autonomous hardware. The Leopard’s design and specifications are the result of collaborative work with leading global delivery and technology companies focused on autonomous delivery and Mobility as a Service (MaaS) fleets.
The concept vehicle is 3.4 metres in length with front-wheel-steer, rear-wheel-drive and has a two-tonne gross vehicle weight rating. It also features X-by-wire REEcorner technology for drive, steer and brake control.
The Leopard has a 1.4-metre (4.6ft) narrow design with a small footprint of 2.5 square metres (26.6 ft2) for enhanced manoeuvrability. It features easy cargo accessibility with a load volume of 5.1 cubic metres (180 ft3). The Leopard comes with a 50kWh battery capacity delivering a top speed of 60mph (97kph).
The flat floor design of the Leopard last-mile autonomous concept vehicle means cargo space is maximised. This results in improved environmental impact thanks to fewer trips in fewer vehicles.
Daniel Barel, REE co-founder and CEO, said: “This concept showcases just one design application of our ground-breaking technology. One that answers the strategically crucial question of how to carry out autonomous, zero-emissions last-mile deliveries, which has huge growth potential.
“Autonomous and electric vehicles ‘Powered by REE’ offer unsurpassed operational efficiency and the lowest total cost of ownership combined with full flexibility when it comes to integrating top hats in virtually any size, shape or form. We’re here to make the shift to a carbon neutral future a reality faster and at scale.”
The Leopard will be showcased at the REE booth at the CES technology event in Las Vegas from 5-8 January 2022.
