Nikola Hires BMW Executive Jesse Schneider to Spearhead Fuel-Cell R&D
Nikola Motor Co. has hired Jesse Schneider as vice president of hydrogen and fuel-cell technologies.
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Most recently, he was group manager of drivetrain development for BMW Group. Schneider also was group manager of fuel cell, EV, hydrogen development earlier in his tenure at BMW.
In addition, he has served as chairman of development of hydrogen fueling standards and specifications at SAE International.
Schneider
At Nikola, Schneider will spearhead efforts with the fuel-cell R&D division, working with Bosch Group in Germany and the hydrogen-fueling technology team for the Nikola stations with NEL Hydrogen in Norway, and also will lead the development of the Nikola R&D Center in Phoenix, according to the Salt Lake City-based company.
“We are excited to introduce industry veterans into our company structure to help prepare for the manufacturing rollout. Mr. Schneider will be a huge asset to Nikola and is welcomed to the Nikola family,” Nikola Motor Co. CEO Trevor Milton said in a statement.
Nikola is completing the 150,000-square-foot R&D facility in Phoenix, where the company will relocate by Aug. 1. Once in Arizona, the company intends to begin development on a 1-million-square-foot assembly plant to manufacture zero-emissions hydrogen-electric semi-trucks in Buckeye, a suburb of Phoenix.
