Tennessee-based logistics provider Covenant Logistics Group has plans to add 40 Nikola Tre fuel-cell-electric trucks and 10 battery-electric trucks to its Class 8 fleet.

Covenant signed a letter of intent for the 50-truck purchase following the successful completion of a Nikola Tre demonstration program. Delivery of the first battery-electric Tre and mobile charging trailer for testing is anticipated to occur in second quarter, with the fuel-cell-electric Tre testing expected to follow in 2023.

"The Tre BEV and FCEV trucks are both uniquely equipped to offer zero-emissions service to Covenant's wide range of customer applications," said Pablo Koziner, president of Nikola's Energy and Commercial division, in a press release "While the Tre BEV is ideally suited for short-haul, metro-regional applications, the Nikola Tre FCEV has an anticipated range of up to 500 miles and is expected to be a valuable addition to their highway regional operation.”

The implementation will help Covenant meet its environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) initiatives, company officials said.

"Adoption of BEV and FCEV technologies are an important part of Covenant's long term commitment to the decarbonization of freight,” said Matt McLelland, Covenant's VP of Sustainability and Innovation.

Covenant provides expedited, dedicated, warehousing and managed freight transportation.