Nikola Showcases Hydrogen Fuel Cell EV at CES
[Stay on top of transportation news: Get TTNews in your inbox.]
LAS VEGAS — Nikola Corp. showcased the range and maneuverability of its hydrogen fuel cell electric truck Jan. 7 during a test ride at CES 2024.
The Nikola Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle was designed around regional haul with a range of about 500 miles when there is a loaded trailer attached. The truck has 70 kilograms of hydrogen capacity. It also has two backup batteries with a combined total of 164 kilowatt hours.
“This is what we classify this truck as, it’s a day cab, it’s a regional-haul truck,” said Christian Appel, global head of program and product management at Nikola. “A lot of out-and-back applications. We’re going into the ports with these trucks and typical regional where you cover maybe 350 to 500 miles a day.”
Appel conducted the test ride mostly in a residential area during a clear day on the outskirts of the city. The streets were clear of obstacles such as construction, and there was little traffic. Appel was able to use these conditions to show off how the truck handles, including acceleration and braking, both of which felt smooth from the passenger seat including a tight turn.
“This truck has very good maneuverability, a very good performance and, I mentioned the range, one of the longest ranges for any zero-emission truck out there right now,” Appel said. “It always depends on the application, what range you can really achieve. But I always like to give a couple of real-world references. So, for example, I drove one of the trucks from Coolidge [Ariz.], our headquarters, up to Flagstaff, Ariz., which is all the way up the hill.”
Appel added that with a load of about 81,000 pounds uphill the truck achieved a range of 450 miles. Nikola also has run tests with customers in which the truck ran about 550 miles. A lot of the performance depends on driving conditions and behavior, with the 500-mile mark being the average for these tests.
The Nikola hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle will be showcased at #CES2024 alongside our long-time valued supplier @boschusa. Hop in the cab of tomorrow’s trucking and connect with the Nikola team powering this innovation. Find us there: https://t.co/YhVuiPRFBp#FollowNone pic.twitter.com/UzOZ4QWCWk — Nikola Corporation (@nikolamotor) January 5, 2024
“It all works together, and this is something that I call the secret sauce,” Appel said. “What we’re doing, we’re developing all of these controls in the house, all of the software. We even develop the hardware, the [electronic control units], and then also the base software, application software, and do all of the calibrations, testing, validation, and that really is what makes a lot of the difference here.”
Nikola uses the battery to support systems such as regenerative braking, but it also can be used as a backup in case the hydrogen fuel cell system malfunctions or goes empty. The two batteries have a range of about 35 miles in addition to the range provide by the main fuel cell system.
Cruisin' through a winter wonderland. Unleash the power of the Nikola hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle, with a range of up to 500 miles. Order yours: https://t.co/QvzNft5HzZ#FollowNone pic.twitter.com/L9Qy7YoPOD — Nikola Corporation (@nikolamotor) January 2, 2024
“We have a fuel cell system, and still a battery pack,” Appel said. “One reason is the regenerative braking. I just lift off the pedal, so all of the deceleration was done by the electric motors and ultimately gets the energy back into the battery pack. I have six levels that I can choose for the regen, and I can choose regen off.”
Appel then showed what braking feels like at the highest regenerative braking level. It felt noticeably forceful with the lack of a loaded trailer. Appel noted the higher levels work better when there is a loaded trailer since the extra power helps to handle the added weight, for instance when truck has to go downhill.
But the batteries don’t just help with these added systems.
“We also use it as a backup for range,” Appel said. “So, what happens is, if there is any issue in the fuel cell system, or even if the whole fuel cell system would shut down for whatever reason, you can continue to drive on battery only. In fact, if we run out of hydrogen fuel, then the truck automatically transitions into battery-electric mode and you can continue to have a little extra range.”
Want more news? Listen to today's daily briefing below or go here for more info:
