NIKOLA Trucks keep making smart moves…..

By now most of you will know that US truck disruptor NIKOLA together with CNH Industrial brands IVECO and Fiat Power Trains (FPT ) will be using the old Magrius plant in Ulm Germany as the production hub for the Nikola TRE battery electric and fuel-cell electric heavy-duty truck models.

We hinted at this potential move after the original announcement concerning the strategic and exclusive Heavy-Duty Truck partnership in which CNH Industrial took a $250 million stake in Nikola with $100m in cash and the reminder in services and engineering assistance.

It wasn’t a big surprise ULM was picked, it is currently IVECO’s chassis engineering hub and used to manufacturer many of the models before the Stralis range such as the EuroTech / Eurostar and is situated in the Munich area around the Baden – Württemberg region, which is hoping to become leading hub for fuel-cell mobility.

According to said Hubertus Mühlhäuser, Chief Executive Officer, CNH Industrial “Our European joint-venture with NIKOLA and today’s announcement, is real proof that zero- emission long-haul transport is becoming a reality, resulting in tangible environmental benefits for Europe’s long distance hauliers and its citizens”.

Apparently the initial stage of the project, €40 million will be invested by the joint-venture Company to upgrade the manufacturing facility, which will focus on final assembly of the vehicle. Start of production is anticipated within the first quarter of 2021, with deliveries of the Nikola TRE beginning in the same year. “The Nikola TRE is proving to be the most advanced articulated truck in the world and will continue to set the standard for zero-emission vehicles today and in the future” said Trevor Milton, Chief Executive Officer, Nikola Motor Company.

With physical deliveries of the TRE starting next year this is a major step that cannot be underestimated, and will no doubt be setting off the alarms in many of the other major European truck manufacturers, and rightly so!

Tim Campbell is the Managing Director of Campbells Consultancy, a globally-renowned consultancy company dedicated to the electrification of the commercial vehicle industry and publishers of Electric Van & Truck. 

You may contact Tim by telephone (+44 1772 286225) or email (tim@campbellsconsultancy.com) or, alternatively, visit his company’s website (www.campbellsconsultancy.com).

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