For months, Ree Automotive tested its integrated electric braking, steering and motors that sit on the 4 corners of a chassis. Finally convinced the one-of-a-kind Reecorner system could possibly be certified, the Israel-based company contracted British engineering consultant Horiba Mira to search out out.
Horiba Mira has pre-certified the Reecorner “x-by-wire” system, giving the startup confidence it might satisfy regulators and be clear to integrate it into an electrified chassis for Class 3-5 work trucks by late next 12 months.
![](https://www.freightwaves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/31/090123-TT83-Reecorner-display-at-CES-1200x675.jpg)
Understanding what Ree has done requires some explanation. By packing electronically driven motors, braking and steering right into a single module controlled by a central computing system, Ree is on the bleeding edge of constructing mechanical components obsolete.
“You will have electrical, electronic and software redundancy, which is the equivalent of mechanical redundancy,” said Peter Dow, Ree vice chairman of engineering.
So, as an alternative of electrical power steering backed by a standard steering shaft and mechanical pump, Ree provides redundancy through power electronics. A driver will “feel” like he’s steering, but computer programming is merely replicating what the motive force thinks he’s experiencing.
First to full by-wire system
“We’re the primary one ever to give you the option to certify a full by-wire system,” CEO Daniel Barel told me. “This is admittedly complicated, but not due to requirements. The necessities and the regulations don’t differentiate between by-wire and non-by-wire.”
Relating to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards testing, regulators shall be how a whole vehicle with the Reecorner works, not on the Reecorner itself.
“We’re the primary to do it with no full mechanical backup,” Barrel said. “When the regulators come to us, they are saying, ‘We don’t care the way you do it. While you show us that in case your front brake doesn’t work, show us you could brake.’”
That’s what Horiba Mira showed: Electronic redundancy was just as effective as a mechanical backup.
![](https://www.freightwaves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/31/090123-TT83-Reecorner-closeup-1200x676.jpg)
Closing in on production
The Reecorner is loaded with mental property. Ree won’t construct trucks, just the module.
“Our core competence is the Ree corner, the by-wire. That is the key sauce. That is the heavy lifting [and] the vast majority of the complexity,” Barrel said.
Ree has assembled a cadre of well-known subcomponent suppliers. Microvast provides the lithium iron phosphate battery embedded within the skateboard-style steel chassis. Brembo makes the brakes. American Axle uses lightweight electric drive units featuring fully integrated high-speed motors and inverter technology.
Reecorner units will ship from a factory in Coventry, England, to the U.S.. Once here, a contract manufacturer will assemble chassis and cab chassis for upfitting. Bodybuilders Morgan Olson and Knapheide will create walk-in vans and cargo boxes to customer order. Each is a frontrunner of their respective specialties. U.S. assembly qualifies the trucks for federal and state incentives.
“We’re not an OEM and we’re not a Tier One,” Barrel said. “We’re a brand new breed.”
No debt and money within the bank
Ree became a public company in July 2021. It did a reverse merger with 10X Capital, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
Ree is unlike many de-SPACed corporations which have struggled to lift capital in a tricky market. It has has $105 million and no debt. Ree has raised lower than $500 million from inception. Its money burn of about $20 million 1 / 4 is minimal due to its capital expense- and asset-light strategy.
Investors haven’t treated Ree well. Its pre-merger SPAC price of $11.40 in February 2021 closed slightly below 20 cents on Thursday. The Nasdaq warned Ree (NASDAQ: REE) in November 2022 that it faces delisting on Nov. 6 if its share price stays below $1 because it has since September 2022.
Barrel didn’t seem too concerned. If the stock doesn’t rebound, a reverse split — swapping a certain variety of existing shares for one recent share — would artificially propel the worth into the Nasdaq protected zone. Other startups have executed that play with varied results.
Making the case for liquified hydrogen
Hyzon Motors is making the case for liquified as an alternative of gaseous hydrogen.
The high-power hydrogen fuel cell technology developer accomplished its first successful business run with zero-emission liquid hydrogen for Performance Food Group. Engineered equipment maker Chart Industries supported the trouble.
The run began in Temple, Texas, completing deliveries to eight PFG customers near Dallas. The entire distance of greater than 540 miles occurred over a 16-hour run that included temperatures above 100 degrees.
“With increased range and no added weight compared to our gaseous hydrogen trucks, we consider this liquid hydrogen demo run has demonstrated potential viability for the long run of liquid hydrogen in business trucking,” Hyzon Chief Executive Officer Parker Meeks said in a news release.
Hyzon expects its 200-kilowatt fuel cell could cover 650 to 800 miles using liquid hydrogen since it could carry significantly more fuel on board attributable to energy density, with no changes to vehicle weight or payload.
Chart Industries developed a tank system able to storing liquid hydrogen at negative 400 degrees Fahrenheit with the flexibility to deliver it to the fuel cell system on the crucial pressure.
![](https://www.freightwaves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/31/090123-TT83-Hyzon-liquid-hydrogen.jpg)
Tips on how to get a battery-electric truck without cost
Trevor Van Egmond is kind of a negotiator. He managed to get a Nikola Tre battery-electric vehicle essentially without cost.
Before he began as president of his own business, Clean Freight Consultants Inc. in Canada, Van Egmond worked for the Alberta Motor Transportation Association (AMTA). He arranged a price share wherein Prairies Economic Development Canada paid $2.8 million Canadian ($2 million) for a Nikola battery-electric and a hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicle.
Nikola ponied up 50% of the price through in-kind contributions of a Hyla mobile fueling trailer for the fuel cell truck that’s pending delivery, plus hydrogen fuel and a ChargePoint charging station for the battery-electric truck. The Hyla trailer shall be leased by AMTA in 4 rural Alberta locations. Bison Transport is currently using the battery-electric truck.
Canada offers some good rebates for electric truck purchases in addition to electric infrastructure, but this deal far exceeds the $150,000 to $200,000 available for trucking corporations.
“The association got a extremely good deal on it,” Van Egmond told me.
![](https://www.freightwaves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/31/090123-TT83-Nikola-ChargePoint-1200x675.jpg)
Briefly noted…
Wabash accomplished the conversion of a refrigerated trailer manufacturing plant to double the capability to make 10,000 dry vans a 12 months.
Lightning eMotors received overwhelming support to sell as much as 20% recent shares to a hedge fund that can give Lightning access to tap as much as $200 million in money in exchange for equity.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks reports positive results from hot weather testing of its eActros 600 heavy-duty electric truck in Spain.
That’s it for this week. Thanks for reading. Click here to get Truck Tech via email on Fridays. And sustain with the most recent Truck Tech TV conversations on the FreightWaves YouTube channel on Wednesdays at 4 p.m.
Next week’s scheduled guests are Tom Ashley, vice chairman of presidency and utility relations at Voltera and Mark Esguerra, director of distribution system planning and strategy for Southern California Edison.
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