Nikola unveils stunning hydrogen-electric semi for Europe market

Salt Lake City, Utah-based Nikola corp. is banking on the future of hydrogen-powered electric semi trucks with its third semi in the series called the he Nikola Tre — tre meaning “three” in Norwegian. The Tre is being developed specifically for European roads, reports New Atlas.

Guests will get to view a prototype of the Tre at the April 16-17 Nikola World in Phoenix next year, along with other new zero-emission products from Nikola including the production intent Nikola Two, according to Nikola’s press release. A price for the Nikola Tre has yet to be revealed.

Nikola Tre – Built for European Markets

Nikola Corp.

“This truck is a real stunner and long overdue for Europe,” said Nikola Motor Company Founder and CEO Trevor Milton. “It will be the first European zero-emission commercial truck to be delivered with redundant braking, redundant steering, redundant 800Vdc batteries, and a redundant 120 kW hydrogen fuel cell, all necessary for true level 5 autonomy. Expect our production to begin around the same time as our USA version in 2022-2023.”

To be granted “level 5 autonomy” means that the vehicle can operate on any road and in any conditions a human driver could negotiate. Redundancy in engineering means “the duplication of vital components of a system in order to increase its reliability and performance.”

Nikola Corp.

The Nikola Tre has 500 to 1,000 brake HP, 6×4 or 6×2 configurations and a range of 500 to 1,200 kilometers depending on options. The Tre will fit within the current size and length restrictions for Europe. Unlike other American trucks, the Tre has a flat stubby nose.

Nikola is also working with Norwegian firm Nel Hydrogen to provide hydrogen fueling stations in the U.S. It plans to have more than 700 hydrogen stations across the U.S. and Canada by 2028, reports CNBC News. Each station is capable of 2,000 to 8,000 kgs of daily hydrogen production.
“We will work with Nel to secure resources for our European growth strategy,” Kim Brady, Nikola’s chief finance officer, said in a statement. “We have a lot of work ahead of us, but with the right partners, we can accomplish it.”