Nikola begins factory construction in Arizona

Nikola Motor has just celebrated the ground-breaking ceremony for its plant in Coolidge in the US state of Arizona, where the Nikola Tre and Nikola Two trucks will initially be produced. Nikola CEO Trevor Milton has also revealed more about the electric pickup Badger.

But first to the Coolidge plant: The first construction phase is scheduled for completion at the end of 2021, the second phase should be completed twelve to 18 months later. At full capacity, the plant will be able to produce around 35,000 trucks a year in two shifts.

Meanwhile, the first examples of the Nikola Tre will not be built in the company’s own plant in Arizona, but in Germany: As reported, the Tre will be produced in Europe starting next year, namely in Ulm with partner Iveco.

In early June, Nikola ordered electrolysers worth more than 30 million dollars from the Norwegian hydrogen specialist Nel. In addition to the construction of the H2 trucks, Nikola is also planning to build corresponding filling stations where the electrolysers will be used to produce the hydrogen on-site. Unlike Tesla with its superchargers, Nikola wants to open its infrastructure to all users. According to a US report, the hydrogen will be sold for a price between two and three dollars.

The ordered electrolysers can produce up to eight tons of hydrogen per day. According to Nikola-CEO Trevor Milton, this amount would have to be sold completely in order for the business to be profitable.

In the future, the Nikola pickup Badger could also refuel at hydrogen filling stations. As Milton said on the fringes of the event in Coolidge, the hydrogen version of the Badger will only be sold in the US states Nikola is setting up its filling stations. The BEV version of the badger will be sold in all US states until 2022.

The Badger will not be built in the Coolidge plant but in partnership with a car manufacturer. According to a recent report, Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles is currently supposed to be the favourite for the order, although this has not yet been confirmed by either company.

insideevs.com, nikolamotor.com (Coolidge), insideevs.com (Badger)