Georgia-based less-than-truckload Saia LTL Freight announced plans to purchase or lease 100 Nikola Tre heavy-duty battery-electric vehicles following the satisfactory completion of a demonstration program. It's the second Nikola announcement this week of a fleet purchase, the other being USA Truck.

The Saia demonstration program will include three BEV trucks to be operated in separate locations across the Saia network and is expected to begin in the first half of 2022. Deliveries of 100 production vehicles are intended to occur between 2022 and 2024, with the initial 25 targeted for 2022. 

Saia officials said in the announcement that they are committed to reducing the company's operational impact on the environment through sustainable business practices, equipment optimization and corporate efficiencies. The Nikola Tre BEV will further this commitment as they continue to improve the fuel economy of the Saia fleet.

In Arkansas, over-the-road truck carrier and broker USA Truck announced plans to purchase 10 Nikola Tre trucks from Thompson Truck Centers. Under the agreement, Thompson will provide sales, service, maintenance, and energy infrastructure required to operate the Nikola Tre BEV trucks, expected to be delivered in the first half of 2022.

The agreement also includes the option to purchase an additional 90 Nikola zero-emission trucks over the next two years.

USA Truck has more than 2,000 driving team members. This would be its first order of battery-electric trucks.

“The partnership with Nikola and Thompson advances our critically important ESG initiatives and further demonstrates our commitment to sustainability now and in the future," said James Reed, president and CEO of USA Truck, in a press release.