IVECO and Nikola preview first electric truck that will be on sale by 2021
US start-up Nikola Motors and IVECO have shocked rivals by revealing a close-to-production prototype of the full-electric truck it will launch in 2021Coming just three months after announcing its partnership with IVECO, the all-new Nikola Tre has been created in collaboration with the established truck-maker.
The battery electric Nikola Tre, which is based on the new IVECO S-Way platform (pictured) and integrates Nikola’s truck technology, controls and infotainment. Testing is expected to begin in mid-2020, with the European public launch planned for the IAA 2020 commercial vehicle exhibition. Sales and aftersales support of the Nikola Tre will be provided by IVECO’s widespread European dealer network.
Designed, by Italdesign, specifically for the European market, orders for the Nikola Tre are claimed to already far exceed production capacity, with the US truck-maker suggesting the battery-powered truck would be sold out for many years.
Another surprise of the overnight reveal was, as well as a battery version that will have a range of up to 966km, Nikola and IVECO are also readying a hydrogen fuel-cell model that will arrive a few years later in 2023.
As part of the alliance between IVECO and Nikola the Italian's truck-maker's parent company has taken a $250 million ($A365m) stake in the US start-up.
Fuelling the business case for the Nikola Tre is mandatory EU targets to reduce emissions from 2019's levels by 15 per cent in 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030.
Volkswagen, Daimler and Tesla are all racing to ready their own zero-emission haulers.
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