Israel-based REE Automotive has received permission to start delivering an electric truck named P7-C to customers in the United States. The brand claims that its battery-powered chassis-cab is the first by-wire commercial truck to achieve FMVSS and EPA certifications in our market.
REE explains that the first trucks it’s sending to our shores are demonstration units that will be used for fleet evaluations. There’s a lot of new technology to test: the medium-duty P7-C features steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire and throttle-by-wire systems. Taking the various mechanical connections out of the drivetrain improves volumetric efficiency, saves weight, and allows for a more modular design, according to REE.
Developed as a Class 4 truck, the P7-C was designed to operate in urban environments; its driving range checks in at merely 150 miles. It’s 16 feet long, it offers a 7,054-pound payload, and its peak power checks in at 536 horsepower. At its core, it’s essentially a skateboard platform with a cab, and what goes over the back part of the chassis depends on each customer’s needs. It can be configured with a cargo box (shown in our gallery) and used as a delivery truck, as a pickup to haul bulky items, with a power-operated crane, or even as a camper.
Regardless of configuration, what’s under the body doesn’t change. Power comes from what REE refers to as a “large-capacity” lithium-ion battery pack that’s integrated into the frame. It zaps four independent motors (one per wheel) into motion. This layout gives the P7-C through-the-road all-wheel-drive, and a four-wheel steering system keeps the turning radius in check, which should be a boon in big cities.
REE notes that qualifying P7-C buyers will be able to claim a tax credit of up to $40,000 from the federal government. Add in the incentives offered at the state level and buyers could knock off more than $100,000 from the truck’s base price, which hasn’t been published yet.