The new EV platform moves the engine, suspension and steering into the wheel arch

Israeli startup REE Automotive has partnered with KYB Corporation, a Japanese supplier specializing in suspension systems, to develop a highly flexible, modular EV platform with the potential to revolutionize vehicle design.

By combining several promising technologies, REE has developed a skateboard-style EV platform in which virtually all mechanical equipment is located within each wheel arch, except for the battery and associated cooling and power distribution systems. This is down to the electric motor, suspension, brakes, and steering.

Many companies are developing in-wheel motors, and Roadstown Motors has promised to incorporate this technology in its "Endurance" electric pickup truck, which will be available next year. But REE is going a step further by also adding an active suspension system that uses an electric motor. In this case, the suspension system's motors control actuators connected to a damping system that can vary the level of firmness.

But REE does not stop there. The company also includes a bi-wire steering system that eliminates the need for conventional mechanical linkages; REE's platform also includes conventional disc brakes, which also rely on bi-wire technology.

The result is a completely flat platform that optimizes space and greatly increases design flexibility. While it may not be suitable for the high braking temperatures and severe suspension impacts experienced by performance cars, REE's platform could be used in future delivery vehicles and eventually self-driving cars.

A British company named Protean introduced a similar system last year, but the Protean system can also adjust ride height and each wheel can rotate 360 degrees.