Nikola the Future of Trucking – Not So Much

3 new lawsuits & CEO stepped down When it sounds too good to be true apparently it is.

Today I was listening to one of my favorite Podcasts called the Founder Hour while working on a custom 3D printed design I am doing for a customer.  The Podcast featured Trevor Milton of Nikola.  Below is the link to the Founder Hour podcast. I would encourage you to take a listen and see how Nikola is poised to take over the trucking world.

Pat & Posh of Founder hour always start their podcasts asking their guests about their childhood, which in many instances gives you an early look into how the entrepreneurs developed into who they are now.  In Trevor’s case it certainly applies. His father was in the Train industry and Trevor grew up on locomotives and recalls one of the train engineers saying to him, “Can you imagine these same electric locomotives on a semi truck?”  So that sparked the idea for his electric semi trucks.  Trevor has spent years laying the ground work for Hydrogen fuel cell powered semi trucks and Nikola will also control the Hydrogen Fuel stations that will fuel these trucks across the country. Nikola is able to provide zero emissions. Hydrogen also has higher energy storage density than lithium ion batteries, both in terms of energy stored per unit weight and energy stored per unit volume. Fast Fill up – Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles fill up–like their gasoline equivalents – in about five minutes. This short refilling time means that drivers aren’t inclined to walk away during a refill, unlike battery electric vehicles which can take up to take 3 to 18 hours to fully charge vehicle batteries.

Nikola’s is also entering  into the Personal Truck Market with the Nikola-Badger.  

0-60 MPH 2.9 Seconds
Peak HP 906
Continuous HP 455
Peak Torque 980 Ft. LBS
Range 600 Miles
Battery 300 Miles
Fuel Cell 300 Miles
Hydrogen 8 kg
Fuel Cell 120 kW
Towing Capacity 8,000 LBS
Drivetrain 4×4 Independent Wheel Drive (IWD)
Dimensions 5890mm L x 2180mm W x 1870mm T
*Specs can change due to weather, altitude, hydrogen output, battery state of charge, thermal needs and customer requirements. Final specs may change or vary.

 

PreOrder a Badger here

 

Below is a video about the Nikola-Badger as well.