As early as September 2021, the plant for the battery-electric Nikola TRE BEV and the fuel cell-powered Nikola TRE FCEV to follow was officially opened in Ulm. The first vehicles from the joint venture between Nikola and IVECO have now been produced. The logistics company Total Transportation Services, which last year signed a letter of intent for a total of 100 BEV and FCEV trucks, has already launched the first models in the USA. In Europe, the first BEV trucks are delivered to the Port of Hamburg. The European model is manufactured by Iveco in Ulm. Now Nikola is concentrating on a single production site in the USA.
The homologation of the European model should be completed this year and the first models should then be delivered to Hamburg. Obviously, Nikola continues to push the pace to speed up manufacturing. Already at the beginning of October 2021, it was announced that a supply contract with LG Energy Solutions from 2022 to 2029 had been concluded. A long-term supply contract has now also been concluded with Proterra to equip the trucks with batteries, which are expected to be integrated into production from the fourth quarter of 2022. Here is a recap of past milestones:
22.03.2023/XNUMX/XNUMX Truck assembly, fuel cell production and battery module production under one roof
builds for the long term Nikola now on a production site in the USA. With the conversion of battery production from Cypress, California, to the truck production facility in Coolidge, Arizona, even more synergies are to be used and production made even more efficient.
“The ability to accelerate this process supports Nikola's continued commitment to implementing cost-saving measures by bringing together Nikola's truck assembly, fuel cell power module assembly, and battery module and pack production under one roof. This includes the automation of the battery line, which is aimed at improving quality and increasing efficiency.” (Source: press release Nikola Motor Company from March 16, 2023 )
17.02.2023/XNUMX/XNUMX Nikola TRE FCEV approved for subsidy program in California
“Nikola Corporation (Nasdaq: NKLA), a global leader in zero-emission transportation, power supply and infrastructure solutions, announced that it has received California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) approval for Nikola's Tre hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (“FCEV”) are eligible for CARB’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (“HVIP”) program. This approval will now allow Nikolas Tre FCEV customers to access a point-of-sale incentive of $2023 to $240.000 per truck in 288.000. Customers are also eligible for a $40.000 Clean Truck Tax Credit from the federal government due to the passage of the Anti-Inflation Act.” ( Source: press release Nikola Motor Company from February 7, 2023 )
September 19.09.2022, XNUMX European premiere – Nikola Tre FCEV in Hanover
The European beta version of Nikola Tre's fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) will be unveiled at a press conference at the IAA Transportation show in Hanover, Germany on September 19 with partner IVECO, the commercial vehicle brand of Iveco Group (MI: IVG). Nikola Corporation President Michael Lohscheller will unveil the Nikola Tre FCEV in Hall A24, Stand A01 with IVECO.
16.09.2022/XNUMX/XNUMX Cooperation between E.ON and Nikola Corporation enters the negotiation phase
In order to decarbonize heavy goods traffic, the two partners are pooling their priorities with the aim of founding a joint venture. The company for emission-free transport and energy infrastructure solutions and one of the largest operators of energy networks and energy infrastructure in Europe plan to offer integrated mobility solutions with the merger. Signing a term sheet lays the foundation for long-term cooperation. Now it is a matter of negotiating final determinations of the conditions.
# Update 29.03.2022/XNUMX/XNUMX Start of production in Arizona
Nikola continues to push the pace towards zero-emission truck production. In a current press release, Nikola provides further information on the start of production of the BEV and FCEV series.
"Nikola Corporation (Nasdaq: NKLA), a global leader in zero-emission transportation and energy infrastructure solutions, and ENGS Commercial Finance Co. ("ENGS"), a member of Mitsubishi HC Capital Group ("MHC") and a market-leading commercial finance company, today announced a signed agreement to facilitate sales of Nikola Tre Class 8 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and Nikola Tre hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).
Production of the Tre BEVs started last week at Nikola's manufacturing facility in Coolidge, Arizona. Nikola Tre FCEV deliveries are expected in 2023 Nikola Motor Company from May 29th 2021)
# Opening of the production hall on September 15.09.2021, XNUMX
Iveco opened on Wednesday, September 15.09th. In 2021 its production hall for electric heavy-duty trucks Nikola TRE BEV will officially open. 3.000 tractor units are to be produced per year in the initial stage. Due to the high entry price, customers should be billed for the kilometers they have driven as an alternative.
# First shots of the production facility in May 2021
In the quarterly report of Nikola Motor Company there are the first recordings of the production facility in Ulm and prospects for the start of production of the Nikola TRE BEV.
“Progress in our joint venture production facility in the IVECO industrial complex in Ulm
By May 7, Nikola and IVECO had almost completed the renovation of the joint venture production facility. The dismantling and restructuring of the building has been completed. The installation of the AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle) system has not yet been completed and is expected to be completed in the next few weeks. The installation of the tools and equipment for the 14 separate workstations should be completed by the end of the month. Nikola is well on the way to starting test production in June 2021. ”(Press release Nikola Motor Company from May 07th 2021)
In the 2nd quarterly report of Nikola Motor Company there are more pictures of the production facility in Ulm and prospects for the start of production of the Nikola TRE BEV.
# Progress in the production facility in Ulm April 2021
Progress in our joint venture production facility in IVECO's industrial complex in Ulm, Germany
On June 14th Nikola and IVECO started the test production on the assembly line in Ulm, Germany. There are currently two Nikola Tre BEV Pre Builds on the line being assembled. As we ramp up serial production, the equipment and assembly process are refined. (Press release Nikola Motor Company from August 03, 2021)
# Interview April 2021
Nikola Motor Company specializes in the construction of electric motors and has ambitious goals for the construction of electric and FCEV trucks. Ulm, where the Iveco chassis development center is located, is planned as the production site for the Nikola TRE. In addition to the production of the hydrogen truck, Iveco and Nikola are also planning to expand the infrastructure. The two partners have signed a letter of intent with the transmission system operator OGE (Open Grid Europe). The project envisages a business model for the transport of hydrogen for FCEV by line from the production facilities to the filling stations in Germany. In a dialogue with Manfred Kuchlmayr, Head of Corporate Communications at IVECO, we look to the future of emission-free truck drives.
gcm: Iveco plans to launch the Nikola TRE FCEV in 2023. What opportunities and market potential does Iveco see for the fuel cell truck?
Manfred Kuchlmayr: The Nikola Tre will be available as a purely electric version (BEV) even earlier. Put simply, we see the fuel cell as a range extender on this modular electrical architecture. This shows the opportunities and market potential: whenever range is required, the fuel cell variant (FCEV) comes into play. This also means that you are independent of an e-charging station infrastructure, which would only work in exceptional cases in a clocked logistics system.
A crucial framework is the availability of a functioning infrastructure for the fuel, ideally green hydrogen.
gcm: The fuel cell, especially in the transport sector, needs a sensible economic framework. Which incentives can have a positive impact on the market launch?
Manfred Kuchlmayr: A crucial framework is the availability of a functioning infrastructure for the fuel, ideally green hydrogen. Technology: Against current diesel prices and the well-established processes of a production structure and technology of internal combustion engines that have been perfected over a hundred years, only a bundle of several measures can support. The pricing of fossil fuels will certainly change radically (CO2 pricing), and there are also non-monetary influencing factors such as selective entry restrictions into cities
gcm: The entry into the future of the fuel cell truck is realistic. What developments and innovations in the truck sector can one expect from Iveco in the coming years?
Manfred Kuchlmayr: We see ourselves at the forefront of zero-emission solutions. Nevertheless, the following applies: the process is not comparable in approach to a model change as we know it from the car sector. Until the mass introduction, IVECO, as the market leader in this field, relies on the CO2 neutrality of renewable gas. In the case of CNG, the availability of bio-CNG is already very advanced; in the case of LNG, the process is underway. Bio-LNG is essential because with the storage form "liquefied gas" we can achieve distances of 1.600 km suitable for long-distance transport. With the IVECO S-Way NP, we have had this technology successfully on the market for years.
(Interview from April 2021)
Addendum
Interview from April 2021
Cover Image – Nikola Symbol – Copyright Wirestock @ AdobeStock
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