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Hybrid-Electric Class 8 Truck Scores Zero Emissions in Testing

Nikola Motor Company’s advanced research and development team says it has achieved 100% zero emissions on the company’s hybrid-electric Class 8 truck, the Nikola One.

by Staff
August 2, 2016
Hybrid-Electric Class 8 Truck Scores Zero Emissions in Testing

The Nikola One concept truck Image: Nikola Motors

2 min to read


The Nikola One concept truck Image: Nikola Motors

Nikola Motor Company’s advanced research and development team says it has achieved 100% zero emissions on the company’s hybrid-electric Class 8 truck, the Nikola One.

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Nikola announced the Nikola One earlier this year, offering reservations for the as-yet-unreleased vehicle for $1,500 in a move similar to Tesla’s reservation system for its upcoming Model 3.

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Nikola's vehicle will be powered by a turbine and electric motor hybrid drivetrain that can develop a total of 2,000 hp and 3,700-lb-ft of torque and achieve a range of up to 1,200 miles on a full tank.

"While other companies have recently announced battery-powered semi-trucks, those trucks are restricted to a range of only a couple hundred miles and four to eight hours of charging between stops," said Trevor Milton, Nikola founder and CEO.

“We are not aware of any zero emission truck in the world that can haul 80,000 pounds more than 1,000 miles and do it without stopping," he added. "The Nikola One requires only 15 minutes of downtime before heading out for the next 1,000 miles."

The company said that so far, it has received more than 7,000 truck reservations with deposits. The Nikola One truck leasing program costs $4,000 to $5,000 per month, depending on truck configuration and options. The first million miles of fuel under the lease is included with each truck sale, said Nikola.

The company plans to officially unveil the working electric truck prototype on Dec. 2 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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In addition to the zero emission semi-truck, Nikola has initiated the first steps to manufacture emission-free power plants that range from 50 kilowatts to 50 megawatts, to cut power generation costs. Nikola believes this technology "not only has the ability to transform America's roadways, but how the world will migrate towards zero-emission energy going forward."

"Imagine what this could do for the air in every city in America,” said Milton. “We knew our emissions would be low, but to have the ability to achieve true zero emissions is revolutionary for the worldwide trucking industry.”

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