First Ride: Does This EV Truck Have What It Takes to Beat the Tesla Semi?

You could be forgiven for forgetting about Nikola Motors, which burst on the scene in 2014 promising to revolutionize and decarbonize trucking by building a line of hydrogen fuel-cell electric semi-trucks along with a network of refueling stations to support them. Nikola promised to be to trucks and fueling what Tesla is to cars and Supercharging. The concept seemed exceptionally ambitious, so nobody was overly shocked when short-sellers Hindenburg Research, aided by an internal whistle-blower, accused founder Trevor Milton of fraud. He has long since stepped down, the feds have convicted him on one count of securities fraud and two counts of wire fraud, and he's currently awaiting sentencing. But perhaps Nikola's noble ambition of decarbonizing road shipping will prove to be achievable after all, as the company is gearing up to build fuel-cell powertrains, is opening hydrogen fueling stations, and has now built 258 battery-powered Nikola Tre BEV trucks. We just had a ride in one.

If the photos look vaguely familiar, that's be because Iveco builds the 186-inch-wheelbase "glider" cab-over semi-tractors into which Nikola bolts its two-motor powertrain (good for a combined 645 hp and 1,327 lb-ft of torque) and nine-module lithium-ion battery pack with a 735kWh capacity arrayed between the frame rails. That's reportedly good for 330 miles of range, after which it can DC fast charge to 80 percent in 90 minutes at 350 kW. The chassis' 6x2 arrangement delivers power via the forwardmost of the two rear axles, rather than both.

Truckers familiar with today's diesel fleet may find themselves more at home in the Nikola's generally conventional cockpit, which eschews Tesla's space-aged central driving position flanked by giant screens on either side, with only a fold-down jump seat for use by a passenger or relief driver. There's room for even 6-foot-8-inch CEO Michael Lohscheller to stand up between the seats, storage bins make use of the space inside the aero faring overhead and on a large package tray behind the seats.

There's even a tiny "sunroof," or observation port to check clearance to low overhangs. Two pull-out drawers beneath the package shelf keep items cool and within easy reach of a seated driver or passenger. Sleeper models are envisioned for Europe, but for now the Tre models destined for the U.S. will all be day-use.

The central screen shows vital info—digital speed, flanked by half-circle graphics indicating energy and range remaining on the left, and power usage to the right. Below this is a Tesla-esque ADAS display depicting the Tre in its lane, along with recognized traffic, posted speed limit info, navigation directions, etc. At the far right of the screen are readouts for the air-brake pressure in the two independent circuits, while infotainment info is shown on the left.

The 17-inch touchscreen to the right controls infotainment, climate, navigation, and things a typical car's screen might, plus mirror adjustment, lighting, and other function controls Tesla relegates to the screen. Hard-button controls are few: A three-button shifter (DNR), parking brake, start button, plus the turn-signal and wiper stalks, and redundant steering wheel controls borrowed from the Stellantis LX platform control audio and ADAS systems, developed in cooperation with Plus (formerly Plus.ai). (Note the thumb-rests and flat-bottom on that racy steering wheel!)

The substantial climb into the Tre is aided by long grab handles and several ladder rungs. In lieu of a key, our truck's ignition is "started" by entering a seven-digit pin on the touchscreen. Release the brakes with a loud hiss, and off we go. Without the weight of a trailer (82,000 pounds is the gross combined weight rating), the pock-marked city streets surrounding Henry Ford's original Piquette Avenue plant are jangling our teeth and kidneys and acceleration is brisk. About all we can reasonably comment on is the fantastic visibility (with side windows featuring pull-down sunshades), and how maneuverable the cabover chassis seems with my driver showing no signs of exertion when executing tight turns.

Nikola's HYLA business unit is working to roll out a network of 60 hydrogen stations by 2026, 20 of which will be in California. It's also working to build out a green hydrogen generation network of 11 plants in seven states and the province of Alberta, with a target of producing 300 tons of H2 per day by 2026, primarily for distribution within roughly a 300 mile radius of the plant.

The projected location of the plants and their distribution reach does not suggest coast-to-coast hydrogen trucking will be a reality by 2026; rather, the focus is on well-worn routes—up and down the length of California, the upper Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic states, and Gulf coast region. HYLA will also build "behind the fence" refueling stations for fleet operators, and has developed a semi-trailer-based Mobile Fueler Program capable of serving 20-50 vehicles per day.

The fuel-cell version of the Tre weighs less and hence can tow a heavier trailer. Its rated range is 500 miles, with refueling time of 20 minutes at 700 bar pressure. Production of the Nikola Tre FCEV will commence in a few months at the plant in Coolidge AZ, and at the Ulm, Germany factory next year. Pilot programs with various fleet customers are ongoing, and CEO Lohscheller acknowledges that the BEV models are really just a stopgap to provide short-haul zero-emissions trucking while the hydrogen infrastructure is being built out.

The company has signed or pending agreements with 11 dealer groups with locations in 33 states that have taken delivery of 131 Tre BEV tractors and sold 100 of them. Obviously with limited sales revenues coming in and seemingly unlimited capital expenses going out to build out the production and distribution network, the company remains in a fund-raising mode, and minor setbacks like a recent recall relating to the shoulder-seatbelt retaining bolts (an Iveco issue) aren't helping. But Lohscheller expects to hit an overall break-even point next year, with an EBIT break-even the year after.