With its flexibility and innovation, REE’s Class 5 electric platform, the P7-S, is about to change the game for fleets. Work Truck sat down with Daniel Barel, REE’s CEO, who believes the P7-S is the ultimate solution for fleets, with customization options for driver position, battery type, and wheelbase.

A potential collaboration with U-Haul has the moving fleet looking at the P7-S platform to meet its electrification goals. At its core is REE’s game-changing REEcorner technology — a flat floor, effortless maneuverability, and easy maintenance — a dream come true for upfitters and fleet managers.

The P7-S platform means operational efficiency, lower total cost of ownership (TCO), and huge sustainability benefits. With a fully by-wire control system and class-leading turn radius, REE is setting a new standard in the electric vehicle industry, making it a strategic partner for U-Haul’s electrification journey.

What Makes the P7-S Ideal for Moving Fleets? 

REE believes its Class 5 electric platform, the P7-S, is the ultimate solution for fleets—versatile, efficient, and innovative.

“With our REEcorner technology at its core, the P7-S can be customized to meet the customer needs, including driver position, batteries, wheelbase, and rear overhang,” Barel noted.

This platform serves as a dream base for upfitters, designed to offer a completely flat floor, effortless maneuvering, easy maintenance, and a low step-in height.

“From its modular design to its fully flat electric chassis, each feature of the platform is engineered to support the evolving needs of fleets,” Barel said.

REE’s platform is particularly suitable for U-Haul’s fleet electrification goals. The x-by-wire technology allows for building a flat chassis that offers a range of upfit solutions to serve each fleet’s unique applications.

“REE’s P7-S platform is versatile and designed to provide a user-friendly operation that fits hand in hand with U-Haul’s distinct rental fleet applications. Our Class 4-5 vehicles drive like a medium-sized SUV and have about the same turning radius as a Toyota Corolla,” Barel explained. “We believe this combination makes REE the ideal partner for U-Haul to lead the electrification of its fleet.”

Building a More Efficient, Sustainable Fleet

The P7-S platform is designed for operational efficiency and slashed TCO. The P7-S’s service and operational framework are designed to enhance overall cost efficiency and streamline spare parts inventory management by integrating P7 REEcorners. 

“Besides the P7-S stripped chassis, we provide the P7-C chassis cab that is EPA and CARB certified. The full cab and chassis Powered by REE vehicle qualifies for U.S. federal tax credits. When paired with state incentives, these benefits could amount to over $100,000 per vehicle,” Barel added. 

U-Haul is evaluating the REE product as the first solution to support the electrification of its fleet.

“We expect our technology to be able to fulfill U-Haul’s electrification needs, adding a new solution to their existing operations,” Barel said. 

And just what specific technological advancements does the REE platform offer that differentiates it from other electric vehicle platforms?

“We believe our platform stands out due to its technological advancements, including our fully by-wire control system and class-leading turn radius,” Barel said.

REE is also the first company to FMVSS certify x-by-wire technology for drive, steer and brake control. This system replaces traditional mechanical linkages with electronic controls, designed to maximize space efficiency and offer a fully flat platform. 

Charging Up an Electric Vehicle Fleet

According to Barel, REE’s goal has always been to “complete, not compete” and partner with some of the best in the industry to help accelerate the transition to electrification.

“Our vehicles are battery agnostic, so we can either work with our battery supplier or if our customers are partial to a different battery company, we can work with them as well,” he said.

In terms of charging, REE provides both AC (14.7 kW) and DC (100 kW) charging options for each vehicle, providing fleets with flexible charging options.

“As charging infrastructure continuously becomes more accessible to fleet owners across North America, we’re seeing an increase in demand for our electric vehicles,” Barel said.

Electrifying Larger Vehicle Fleets

In general, Barel shared that large fleets are looking for electrification solutions to meet their zero emissions goals and ESG commitments, but it’s not as easy as choosing any electric truck.

“Their purchase solutions are driven by total cost of ownership (TCO), which REE’s technology aims to reduce by improving uptime and simplifying maintenance. Additionally, we believe REE’s product maturity sets the company apart as a fully certified option that is software-driven and tech-forward,” Barel stated.  

A quick search shows that U-Haul often talks about how the low decks on its vehicles make moving easier.

“REE’s products built on the P7 chassis have class-leading step-in height, which fits into U-Haul’s product lineup and strategy. Being a fully flat chassis also allows for more cargo, allowing people to move more of their belongings on every trip,” Barel said. “We believe U-Haul has the potential to be a large market opportunity for REE, and we are hopeful we can continue to build the partnership.”

REE believes its vehicles can be the perfect choice for the rental and logistics industry.

“Once drivers get behind the wheel, it becomes even clearer how accessible and intuitive our vehicles truly are. Our vehicles are designed so that the average rental customer who may have never driven a Class 4 or 5 vehicle can feel comfortable in the driver’s seat and maneuver with ease,” Barel said.

Driving Thoughts

The REE and U-Haul partnership is a major milestone in the electrification of rental fleets. The P7-S platform’s design, with REEcorner technology, is flexible, efficient, and sustainable and fits U-Haul’s operational requirements.

With the potential to reduce the total cost of ownership and improve operational efficiency, REE’s Class 5 electric platform is an excellent opportunity for U-Haul and other large fleets to meet zero emissions and ESG targets.

“We are proud to be the first electrification partner for U-Haul, which we believe demonstrates our leadership in the industry and the value our technology delivers. We anticipate that our collaboration with household names like U-Haul and Penske will allow us to expand our footprint while demonstrating the intended benefits of an REE-powered vehicle for end users in the rental and logistics industry. When it comes time for them to electrify their fleets, they choose REE,” Barel concluded.