Nikola Motor Company is a US-based trucking startup focused on producing electric and alternative fuel-powered commercial semi trucks. On Monday, the company announced its third semi-truck model, which is powered by a hydrogen-electric motor.
The newest truck, which will be preceded by Nikola’s first and second semifinals, will be called the Tre. The appropriate nameplate taking into account the model is a nod to the Norwegian word for “three,” which indicates the Tre’s position in the company’s lineup. The truck will be powered by redundant 120-kW hydrogen fuel cells that generate electricity to be stored in 800-volt Tre batteries. Ultimately powering an indefinite number of electric motors.
According to Nikola, the truck will be somewhat customizable to suit its customers’ needs in both short- and long-haul scenarios. Engine configurations will enable powertrain choices ranging from 500 to 1,000 horsepower and battery configurations that will enable travel between 310 to 745 miles, though Nikola did not specify whether this is with or without a payload. In addition, the truck axle configuration can be chosen from 6×2 or 6×4.
“This truck is truly amazing and very late in Europe,” said Trevor Milton, founder and president of Nikola Motors. “It will be the first European zero-emission commercial truck to be delivered with backup brakes, backup steering, 800V DC backup batteries and a powerful backup hydrogen fuel cell.” 120 kW, all necessary for true Level 5 autonomy. We expect our production to start around the same time as our US version in 2022-2023.”
Tre will be directed at the Asian, Australian and European markets, each of which has design and regulatory needs that differ significantly from the United States. As a result, one can immediately notice the flat appearance of the Tre versus the company’s One and Two. In Europe, the cab approach is the standard construction for most semi trucks, while the United States typically prefers the comfort of a full-size truck. Nicola says the Tre has been specially designed to fit all European size and length restrictions.
For its hydrogen play to be successful, the company will need to help increase access to hydrogen fueling stations in all the markets it intends to sell, similar to how Tesla built its famous Supercharging network. Nikola says it plans to install 700 hydrogen stations in the United States and Canada by 2028 and plans to connect the stations to the Internet in Europe by 2022.
Nikola is allowing interested parties to reserve the Tre, although it does not currently accept any deposits when reserving the truck on the automaker’s website. The final price of the Tre has not been determined currently and is scheduled to launch in 2023.
Earlier this year, Nikola said it would return all $8 billion in deposits it had raised. However, in a statement issued regarding Tri’s release, the company said it had raised an additional amount of deposits, bringing its total bookings to about $11 billion.
