U.S. vehicle manufacturer Nikola Motor Company (NMC), says it has engineered, developed and is finalizing assembly of the first-ever electric driven class 8 semi-truck, dubbed Nikola One, which is capable of pulling a total gross weight of 80,000 pounds. The battery bank is charged by a turbine, which needs fuel. There are 150 gallons of natural gas on board, enough to power this truck up to 1,200 miles without stopping to fill up.
There are over 32,000 individual lithium-ion cells welded together on the Nikola One, resulting in a 320 kilowatt hour (kWh) battery pack.
“Nikola has built the truck of the future and will hold that title for quite some time,” said Trevor Milton, Founder, CEO and President, Nikola Motor Company.
Nikola trucks can take natural gas from any CNG station, or can fill at one Nikola’s planned CNG stations. For the first 5,000 reservations, Nikola will provide free fuel for the first 1,000,000 miles, offsetting the truck’s total purchase price and giving owners an immediate ROI. Trucks not part of the first 5,000 trucks can fill up at any Nikola station for the low price of $1.50 per DGE of natural gas.
The company currently has 55 strategically positioned CNG stations planned across the U.S. and Canada, and many more to come. With a range of 1,200 miles, the company says it has the entire country covered. Over time, Nikola anticipates having hundreds of stations across the country.
Nikola takes natural gas from their own wells and liquefies it on-site, before transporting to Nikola stations by Nikola One trucks running on electric powertrains. The natural gas is stored at Nikola stations in liquid form, and then dispensed into vehicles as compressed natural gas.
“We will be the first manufacturer of class 8 trucks that is vertically integrated from well to wheel,” Milton added.
Prices of the Nikola One will range from $350,000 – $415,000, depending on options. Reservations are only $1,500 (refundable) and will be delivered in the order in which they are received.
(Source: Nikola Motor Company)
