E-mobility company REE Automotive Ltd and partner Hino Motors have received this year’s European Product Design Award in the ‘Design for Society’ category. 

Amos Boaz, lead designer for REE, and Yamaguchi Seiichi, lead designer for HINO, will share the award for the next-gen mobility solution the two firms are developing, with hardware prototypes of the innovation expected by 2022. 

The advanced commercial mobility solution, which is set to be jointly developed by Hino (Toyota’s truck and bus arm, selling vehicles in more than 80 countries) and REE (an EV technology leader), will comprise a modular EV platform ‘Powered by REE’ with a customised Mobility Service Module on top that can carry passengers, goods, and deliver services – all enhanced with data. The Mobility Service Module can be easily detached from the EV platform – and, once detached, can serve as an independent stand-alone unit, making services and goods easily accessible to society. 

The modular design will not only be applied toward Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) and delivery segments; it could also offer solutions for completely new applications.

Next-gen commercial e-mobility

Hino and REE’s next-generation electric commercial mobility solutions will be geared to improve quality of life on a global scale by lowering carbon emissions, minimising strain on infrastructure, reducing congestion, and allowing companies to allocate resources better.  The specialised EV chassis that will be jointly developed by Hino and REE will leverage proprietary REEcorner technology, which packs critical vehicle components into a single system positioned between the wheel and the chassis. The solution will have a low-floor, full-flat design that flexibly meets customer needs and supports autonomous driving. Hardware prototypes of the solution are expected by FY 2022.

“Hino is delighted to have won this prestigious award together with our valued partner REE Automotive,” said Hino’s lead designer, Seiichi Yamaguchi. “Together we are going to provide new value to society through next-generation commercial mobility. With the flat chassis and the detachable Mobility Service Module, services and contents themselves become mobile. By sparking metabolism of old and new in our lives and communities, we aim to realise prosperous and sustainable societies where people can connect with communities to create a cycle of happiness,” he said.

“Hino is one of the world’s largest leading truck manufacturers and, together, we’re committed to bringing new value to society and reducing the carbon footprint,” added Ahishay Sardes, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of REE. “We are honoured that our design collaboration has been recognised with this award, as our corner and control technology and fully-flat platform enable multiple new applications for modular commercial electric vehicles – helping us work toward a zero-emissions future.”