Nikola reveals FCEV roadmap

Sustainable, zero-emission transportation firm Nikola has unveiled a timeline for the development and release of two hydrogen fuel cell trucks, the Nikola Tre FCEV Cabover and Nikola Two FCEV Sleeper.

Following the start of production of the Nikola Tre BEV (battery electric vehicle), which was last announced as on target for the fourth quarter of 2021, the company says it will focus its efforts on a hydrogen fuel cell version of the Tre, with prototype road trials and then customer trials to commence in 2022, ahead of production in 2023.

Furthermore, Nikola says it will also begin work this year on its Nikola Two FCEV Sleeper, a long-haul freight solution based on a new chassis "custom designed for North American long-haul routes".

Prototype testing for this model is scheduled for 2022, with customer trials in 2023 and production to commence in 2024.

Nikola says the three trucks – the Nikola Tre BEV, Nikola Tre FCEV Cabover, and Nikola Two FCEV Sleeper – will give it broad coverage of North America's road freight needs.

The Nikola Tre BEV is aimed at primarily metro and regional work for trips up to 300 miles (480km), while the Nikola Tre FCEV Cabover is for intrastate work and longer-range needs of up to 500 miles (800km) and rapid fueling/turnaround needs. The Nikola Two FCEV Sleeper then is targeting the long-haul sector and trips of up to 900 miles (1440km).

"To expedite the transition to a carbon-free future, the trucking industry needs heavy-duty, zero-emission commercial vehicles engineered to match the weight and range capabilities of today's diesel trucks," said Nikola's Global Head of FCEV, Jason Roycht.

"Nikola is excited to introduce additional detail about our portfolio of FCEV trucks and our continued commitment to sustainable commercial transportation."

The company says it will leverage its Nikola Tre BEV to produce a hydrogen fuel cell model with enhanced aerodynamics and reduced tare weight.

Construction of the first prototypes are scheduled to commence in Arizona, USA, and Ulm, Germany, in the second quarter of 2021, with testing and validation to continue into 2022 ahead of production in the second half of 2023.

The Nikola Two FCEV Sleeper will be developed concurrently, but will reach production after the Tre – in late 2024, the company says.

Nikola says it will adopt and adapt "multiple common fuel-cell power modules and scalable hydrogen storage systems" for both of its FCEV trucks, with the systems to be employed in each "currently in development and testing with industry leaders in collaboration with Nikola Engineering".

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"Our plan is to enter the market in steps," said Roycht.

"We are building on the current Tre platform with the planned launch of our fuel-cell and hydrogen storage systems in 2023. These systems are designed to be scalable in order to handle the greater power and longer-range requirements for long-haul, which allows for concurrent integration into the chassis design of the Nikola Two FCEV Sleeper.

"Utilizing common components and systems for hydrogen propulsion will support greater economies of scale and also allow Nikola to continuously expand and adapt our FCEV truck portfolio to address the diverse requirements of commercial trucking."

The announcement will perhaps come as some reassurance to Nikola's investors and backers, who were recently rattled by short seller Hindenburg Research's claims in September 2020 that the company was little more than "an intricate fraud built on dozens of lies".

Hindenburg's claims soon led to the departure of Nikola's founder and executive chairman, Trevor Milton, who stepped down amid the furor.

That came just days after General Motors announced it had signed a $US2 billion ($A2.8 billion) deal with Nikola to produce its Badger electric pickup. GM then axed the project in December 2020, replacing its initial agreement with one that will instead simply see the auto giant supply its Hydrotec fuel-cell system for use in Nikola's electric trucks.

When Nikola went public in mid-2020, the float saw the firm valued at $US73 billion ($A100 billion) and its share price rise to $US80, with much of those gains down to market anticipation surrounding the Badger deal. Today that price has sunk to below $US20.

While the company has avoided further turmoil so far this year, all eyes will now be on Nikola as it nears key milestones in the development of its much anticipated products, the release of which will come as ultimate and undeniable proof of promises kept.