Nikola Debuts Hydrogen-Powered Semi Truck

Nikola Motor Co., an American electric vehicle startup, unveiled its new zero emission semi truck at a big reveal event a few weeks ago.
The ceremony was held in an industrial area near downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, where the company is headquatered. It was in June when Trevor Milton, CEO and Nikola Motor Company founder, had announced plans to reveal Nikola One truck and build an advanced manufacturing plant providing thousands of new jobs. The company will determine its location in the first half of 2017, as it is currently in talks with several state governments.
The first Nikola One will be on the road in 2019 and the company says it has got pre-orders for $3 billion.
Although the company is still light in details, it promises the truck will be faster, quieter and more efficient than a diesel equivalent. The emissions-free vehicle is powered by a 320-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, built into the frame and charged on the run by an 800v hydrogen fuel cell.
The privately held company claims the powertrain will produce 1,000 horsepower and generate 2,000 pound-feet of torque, enough to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 30 seconds.
The two energy sources will allow the truck to travel between 800 and 1,200 miles while carrying a full load of 65,000 pounds without the need to stop at a hydrogen fuel station.
The semi truck will feature a kind of a little apartment behind the driver’s seat, one or two full-sized beds, a 4-inch TV, Wi-Fi and 4g LTE connectivity, as well as a fridge, freezer and microwave.
Customers will be able to lease the One for between $5,000 to $7,000 a month, with unlimited hydrogen fuel and scheduled maintenance for a 72-month period included.
Nikola announced plans to make another day version of the semi truck, called Nikola Two, a little shorter and cheaper, but with the same hydrogen electric motor set and meant to enter production shortly after Nikola One.
Nikola also intends to build a network of 360 hydrogen fueling stations across the US and southern Canada in order to support its semi trucks. The first 56 of them will start construction in early 2018.