Pioneering electric truck-maker takes 7000 orders
Nikola Motors claims it now has more than $3 billion worth of pre-order for zero-emissions tractor unitStart-up commercial vehicle maker, Nikola Motors, has announced that it now holds 7000 pre-orders for its ground-breaking Nikola One model following confirmation its pure-electric truck had been green-lit for production.
The One, which is claimed to use the same battery technology as pure-electric car pioneer Tesla, is said to come with 18,650 lithium-ion cells welded together to create an incredible 320kWh battery pack.
Nikola's game-changing truck is a 6X6 electrically-driven rig that features regenerative braking and claims to develop a whopping 2000hp (about 1500kW). Vital statistics are as follows:
Power 1470kW (2000hp)
Torque 5016Nm (3700 ft lbs)
Range 1931km (1200 miles)
Costing between $400,000-$550,000 each, the One's pre-orders are claimed to add up to more than $3 billion (our money).
To incentivise the purchase, Nikola claims it will pay for the recharging for the first million miles of use and that the new pure-electric truck will outperform all its diesel-powered rivals.
At current (US) diesel prices, Salt Lake City-based Nikola says the truck will pay for itself within a million miles. It says haulage companies will save $100,000 over a similar period.
Nikola says it will unveil a working prototype of the One this December 2.
The new claims have drawn plenty of skepticism from industry pundits who point out that Nikola Motors is using its pre-order campaign in an attempt to raise $400-$500 million dollars of investment.
Each truck can be reserved with a small $2000 (fully-refundable) deposit.
The company name 'Nikola' also happens to be the first name of Nikola Tesla, one of the pioneers of the electricity grid and after which the USA's most famous electric car maker is named.
Nikola One specifications:
Motor Type 800V AC Motors
Battery Capacity 320kWh Lithium Ion
Transmission Direct Drive With Low-Noise Gears
Drive System Type 6X6 All Wheel Drive
Transmission Two Speed Automated
Cooling Biodegradeable Non-Electrically Conductive Liquid Coolant
Frame Steel & Aluminum
Front Axles Nikola 12-14.6K lbs
Front Suspension Independent
Rear Axles Nikola – Tandem – 40-46K lbs
Rear Suspension Independent
Front Brakes WABCO Air Disc with Regenerative Electric Motor Braking
Rear Brakes WABCO Air Disc with Regenerative Electric Motor Braking
Parking Brake Air Parking Brake
Payload Capacity 65,000 Lbs
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