Nikola Motors And The Emerging Market Challenges

Nikola Motor Company is a pioneer in zero-emission trucks. Nikola offers both pure electric and also hydrogen-electric powertrains across multiple applications. The brand came into existence in 2014 unveiling a few concept vehicles that the company aims to develop for public sale. The brand’s greatest setbacks have been cancellations of their project which makes it look as if they were not ready for business even after acquiring over 300,000 acres of land to set up their factory. Series of lawsuits have also been another huddle for this Zero-emission brand, below are some of its finest conceptions of Nikola Motors.

The Nikola One
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Nikola Motors – The Nikola is a high-level design hydrogen-fueled Class 8 truck that was unveiled by the brand in 2016. Its production was to take place in 2020 as the truck was supposed to be a conventional sleeper cab with 10 wheels. The truck features a 320 kWh electric vehicle battery supplying 6 traction electric motors with each wheel assign one with a combined software-limited 1,000 hp (750 kW) and 2,000 lb-ft 2,700 Nm of torque with nearly 86,000 lb-ft 117,000 Nm after gear reduction inspired by electric locomotives. This is sufficient for keeping a speed of 65 mph 105 km/h with a full load of 80,000 pounds 36 tonnes on a 6% grade. The energy source is 300 kW hydrogen fuel cells consuming 4.6 kg 10 lb of hydrogen H2 per 100 km 62 mi from tanks with 100 kg 220 lb of hydrogen, giving a range of 1,200 miles 1,900 km. Consumption is equivalent to 15.4 mpg, 15.3 l/100 km of diesel. The truck has regenerative brakes to supplement the traditional disc brakes, decreasing stopping distance and fuel usage. The brand also unveiled the hydrogen version of the truck in December 2016 which was expected to be available by 2019. The company made it known during a briefing that in some markets, compressed natural gas may be used to power an onboard gas turbine generator rather than hydrogen fuel cells.

Anheuser-Busch placed a provisional purchase order for up to 800 leases of the hydrogen-powered truck versions in May 2018. Nikola claimed that the trucks would start being delivered in 2020. By 2019, total pre-orders for truck leases encompassing all Nikola Class 8 truck models were claimed to be worth $14 billion.

The Nikola Two
The Nikola Two is a semi-tractor truck concept designed to be technically identical to the Nikola One. Unlike the Nikola One, a prototype driving under its power was demonstrated in 2019, including when hauling a cargo of beer for a future customer.

The Nikola Tre
Nikola Motors – Nikola unveiled the Tre hydrogen-powered semi-truck concept which was specifically aimed at the European, Australian and Asian markets in November 2018.
Nikola said the Tre concept was to have 500 to 1,000 horsepower (370 to 750 kW) and a range of 310 to 750 miles 500 to 1,200 km. Former CEO Trevor Milton stated in 2018 that production was planned to begin at the same time as the US truck versions, which was then thought to be 2022–2023.

The company did not just stop there as it unveiled a Nikola Tre electric truck concept (a rebadged version of the Iveco S-Way) in November 2019. The same European market
Was the destination of this rebadged version. In July 2021, the company restated that they intend to deliver the first production of Nikola Tre battery-electric trucks later in 2021.

Nikola NZT (Nikola Zero)
A prototype concept of the Nikola NZT referred to as the Nikola Zero came to being in 2016 as a utility vehicle boasting a 72 or 107 kWh battery. The concept was stated to have 555 horsepower (414 kW) total, provided by a motor at each wheel, weigh 3,500 lb (1,600 kg), and use the same 14.5 in (370 mm) clearance suspension as the Ford Raptor. By the end of 2016, it was listed as a Powersports product, in the Nikola Powersports division.

The demonstration of this truck’s capabilities took place at Utah desert in 2017. The truck used was an open-cabin version, lacking doors or a windshield. On April 16, 2019, Nikola presented an NZT in Phoenix, Arizona, that appeared similar to the original one, except it had doors (but still lacked a roof and a windshield). Nikola says it offered rides in this vehicle to the attendees during the event and published a video claiming to show it. The vehicle was supposed to have 590 horsepower 440 kW, and up to 150 miles 240 km of range per electric charge. The vehicle was canceled, alongside the rest of the Powersports division, in February 2021.

Nikola Reckless
This concept vehicle was projected to be a military-grade fully-electric tactical off-highway vehicle. A prototype of the vehicle was displayed at the International Special Operations Forces Industry Exhibition Conference in May 2018.

The vehicle’s chassis would be 4×4 although it could switch to two-wheel drive. It would weigh 2,299 pounds (1,043 kg) and would be able to carry up to 1,400 pounds (635 kg). Also, the vehicle would have a 0.50-inch (12.7 mm) machine gun. The Nikola Reckless vehicle was removed from the website with the cancellation of the Powersports division.

Nikola WAV
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Unveiled in April 2019 as a Nikola Motors watersports offering and presented alongside the Nikola Zero. The Nikola WAV concept had a 12-inch (30 cm) waterproof 4K resolution screen, and cruise control. The vehicle was canceled, alongside the entire Powersports division, in February 2021.

Nikola Badger
The Badger is one of the latest announcements from Nikola, a proposed electric pickup truck announced in February 2020. Nikola planned two variants, the first powered by a combination of hydrogen fuel cells and batteries and the second, an all-electric, without fuel cells. The truck was intended to go to market in 2022 with the assistance of GM. In November 2020, GM pulled out of the deal and Nikola canceled the truck.

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