Nikola Corporation (NASDAQ: NKLA), a global leader in zero-emissions transportation, energy supply and infrastructure solutions, via the HYLA brand, and WattEV, a Long Beach-based developer of charging infrastructure for heavy-duty trucks and provider of electric trucks as a service (TaaS), announced the upcoming sale and delivery of 14 Nikola Tre battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). The sale is being financed with a long-term lease between Mitsubishi HC Capital America and WattEV.
WattEV is building powerful public charging depots to serve fleets of commercial BEVs. WattEV also provides electric trucks as a service (TaaS) to meet the needs of shippers and fleet operators committed to meeting California’s mandates towards zero-emissions. WattEV’s first of four charging depots in Southern California will open for service at the Port of Long Beach with access to Interstate 710 and 110 starting in May 2023. Nikola trucks can use the WattEV depots for daily charging.
“WattEV’s mission aligns with Nikola’s zero-emission vision to address the infrastructure pain point in support of the transition to zero-emissions by placing commercial truck charging solutions at all their depots,” said Michael Lohscheller, President and CEO, Nikola Corporation. “We anticipate the availability of WattEV’s charging depots will play a significant role in industry adoption and provide customers with immediate zero-emission solutions.”
WattEV CEO Salim Youssefzadeh says his company aims to reduce charging times significantly.
“We have been running a pilot test with Nikola battery-electric trucks for the past six months and are quite satisfied with the energy efficiency of the trucks and the ongoing technical support. Nikola’s customer-centric approach to meet our requirement for transition from CCS to MCS charging will be a game changer, which will allow us to rapidly expand our fleet size,” Youssefzadeh said.
The Combined Charging System (CCS) is the current charging standard for heavy-duty e-trucks, while faster charging systems are under development.
The higher-power Megawatt Charging System (MCS) is expected to become the worldwide standard for fast-charging of medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles reducing the typical charge sessions to less than 30 minutes.
The Nikola Tre BEV is eligible for the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) program funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). With this approval, purchasers of the BEV can now qualify for an incentive valued at $120,000 per truck, and up to $150,000 for drayage fleets, helping to reduce the total cost of ownership for any purchaser operating in the state of California.
Launched by CARB in 2009, HVIP is the earliest program in the U.S. to demonstrate the function, flexibility, and effectiveness of a limited pool of first-come first-served incentives that reduce the incremental cost of clean commercial vehicles.
HVIP is administered by CALSTART, a national clean transportation nonprofit consortium, on behalf of CARB. With a range of up to 330 miles, the Nikola Tre BEV is expected to have the longest range among the current HVIP eligible Class 8 tractors. The Tre’s cabover design is ideal for metro-regional applications because it has improved visibility and maneuverability, along with a smooth and quiet ride free of the smell of diesel emissions.
Both Nikola (booth #6494) and WattEV (booth #5815) are at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo May 1-4, 2023, where the Nikola Tre BEV and FCEV are on display and available for the ride and drive portion of the event.
WattEV is featuring its MCS charger at ACT Expo and is hosting the Vehicle Interoperability Testing Symposium May 9-11, 2023, at WattEV’s Charging Depot at the Port of Long Beach, with high capacity chargers capable of charging more than 100 truck a day. The Nikola Tre BEV will be showcased at the event.
