IVECO kills Nikola brand in Europe

The move follows last June’s communication by IVECO Group of the acquisition of the full and sole ownership of the German company resulting from the former joint venture Nikola IVECO Europe.

In a statement from IVECO Trucks Australia, the company said the Nikola name would remain in the North American market: “IVECO is focused on Europe for the further development and commercialisation of our own battery-electric (BEV) and fuel-cell electric (FCEV) trucks, while Nikola will concentrate its operations in North America.

“The two companies will continue to share and develop certain common technologies, while we remain an important partner and key supplier to Nikola.”

The IVECO electric and fuel-cell vehicles feature an e-axle co-designed and produced by FPT Industrial, IVECO’s specialist powertrain sister brand. Batteries are supplied by Proterra, and fuel cell technology and key components by Bosch.

The vehicles are based on the IVECO S-Way platform, which has been specifically redesigned to support both fuel-cell and battery technology, enabled by its modular architecture.

IVECO says the battery-electric truck has a range of up to 500km. It features a total battery capacity of 738kWh (nine packs) with charging power up to 350kW.

The artic 4x2 configuration will be the first to enter the European market, scheduled to take place in the last quarter of 2023.

The fuel-cell truck boasts a range of up to 800km. With a fast-refuelling time of under 20 minutes, it is designed for long-haul applications. It can accommodate 70kg of hydrogen at 700bar of pressure.

The first units of the IVECO heavy-duty FCEV will be delivered in France, Switzerland, and Germany at end of 2023.

Both vehicles are produced in the Ulm manufacturing facility, IVECO Group’s multi-brand German site. Vehicles will be marketed and supported through the IVECO dealer network, which includes 254 sales and service outlets around Europe.

In local markets, IVECO Group’s alternative fuels and propulsion plans are progressing to schedule, with the 70C eDaily pre-production unit previewed at this year’s Brisbane Truck Show continuing to undergo testing locally.

The first of five full production eDaily vehicles – a combination of van and cab-chassis variants – will arrive in Australia and New Zealand soon and will be placed in key customer fleets for evaluation and to gain real-world operator feedback in local applications and conditions.

The additional eDaily models will also provide further opportunities for customers to familiarise themselves with the vehicles. These partners including several tertiary institutions, Government departments and private companies, who will assist IVECO with training, tooling and recharging infrastructure in support of the model roll-out.