Salt Lake City, Utah-based Nikola Motor Company has launched its first hydrogen based zero emission electric truck. Powered by high-density lithium batteries, Nikola One extends upto 800 to 1200 miles in range and upto 1,000 hp of power.
The company has booked $3 billion worth of future orders. The company plans to open a manufacturing facility in the US and 364 hydrogen refuelling stations across the US and Canada. “Nikola will build a world-class advanced manufacturing facility which will create thousands of new jobs,” said Nikola Founder and CEO Trevor Milton.
Additionally, the company has got into sale & warranty agreement with Ryder as its exclusive nationwide distribution and maintenance service provider to use its 800 service location across North America. “Nikola™ owns its own solar farms that produce hydrogen along with the Nikola One™ fleet that transports the hydrogen from the farms to the stations”.
The new technology would be replacing the traditional diesel based trucking industry. With miniaturization of technology it will likely transfer hydrogen fuel & lithium batteries to other segments of the automobile industry. Future could see hydrogen powered cars and pickup trucks and this would have considerable effect on the aftermarket industry.