You’ve heard of Elon Musk’s electric car phenomenon which used the name of pioneering electronic scientist, Tesla, now there is a truck maker that has taken the given name of the same scientist and has announced an electric prime mover that it claims can be driven more than 2000km without stopping to recharge or refuel.
The Nikola Motor Company using Nikola Tesla’s first name has announced its first electric truck after being in self described ‘Stealth mode” while it completed the design of the prime mover which it simply calls the Nikola One.
While Tesla Motors has been focusing on fueling consumer cars with electricity, Nikola Motor Company has been concentrating on the commercial sector and while the One is still just a concept it is a compelling project it will be if the Nikola Motor Company can bring a final production with these specs.to fruition.
The electric prime mover claims a range of between 1300 to 2000 km on a single charge of its 320 kWh battery, which Nikola estimates comes at half the cost of the fuel required to to power a diesel engine over the same distance.
The One’s incredible range is attributed to a turbine and its regenerative braking, which restore some of the battery’s charge while the truck is being driven. The turbine requires either gasoline, natural gas, or diesel to run.
“The turbine outputs nearly 400 kW of clean energy straight to the batteries, keeping them charged,” the company says.
“This proprietary turbine has the ability to turn on and off within seconds minimizing fuel usage. Under load, the electric prime mover can go from zero to 100km/h in under 30 seconds and boasts a top speed of 110km/h
The Nikola One’s fact sheet may sound like something out of Thunderbirds but Nikola Motor Company founder and CEO Trevor Milton says that his company has been quietly collaborating with some of the U.S.’ brightest minds to “design vehicles that have previously been thought impossible.”
“Nikola has built the truck of the future and will hold that title for quite some time,” Milton says.
The Nikola says it hopes to show off a prototypes of the One later this year with a price ranging from $AU480,000 to $AU570,000.
