ARIZONA – Nikola Corporation, a global leader in zero-emission transportation, infrastructure and energy delivery solutions, through its HYLA brand, celebrated the commercial launch of the Nikola hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle in Arizona, where it has a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Coolidge.
The ceremony was attended by fleet customers, Nikola sales and service network dealers, government officials, and prominent Phoenix business and community leaders. The event also included remarks from company executives, as well as truck and hydrogen demonstrations, sustainability impact overviews, production line tours and informal technology Q&A with company engineers on hydrogen safety, the HYLA ecosystem.
“We celebrate the official commercial launch of our state-of-the-art hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks in the North American market. It is a testament to our team’s relentless can-do attitude and is another step toward realizing our vision of sustainable and efficient transportation,” said Steve Girsky, Nikola’s president and chief executive officer.
The innovative truck has a range of up to 500 miles and an estimated refueling time of just 20 minutes. The unit is expected to have one of the longest ranges of all commercially available zero-exhaust Class 8 trucks, with versatile applications ranging from hauling and intermodal to metro-regional truckload and part-load to certain specialized transportation use cases.
The company reported that its dealers have received 223 non-binding orders for its hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks from 23 customers. Notable fleet operators such as J.B. Hunt, AJR Trucking, Biagi Bros. and TTSI are among the growing list of customers committed to the future of sustainable trucking.
The completion of the Phase 2 assembly expansion at the Coolidge manufacturing facility sets the stage for a new era in trucking. With a versatile mixed-model production line capable of manufacturing hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric trucks, the facility is poised to reach an annual production capacity of approximately 2,400 trucks over three shifts.
Nikola noted that progress is also evident in the fuel cell power module assembly line at Coolidge, scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of this year, with Bosch supplying these critical modules.
The Arizona Commerce Authority indicated that as Nikola accelerates toward its goal of mass producing hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks, the HYLA team is committed to securing a reliable supply of hydrogen to meet the demands of 2023 and beyond by collaborating with partners who share the vision of a sustainable and efficient future.
The company has received potential grant funding to help facilitate the continued development of hydrogen fueling stations along key California fueling corridors and with the previously announced joint effort with Voltera to establish up to 50 HYLA stations in North America over the next five years.
