A startup has unveiled its hydrogen-electric truck that will the road in 2020 - here's a closer look
Behold, the Nikola One hydrogen-powered truck. The startup claims it can get a range of 1,200 miles. For reference, the electric truck Mercedes plans to produce in the next decade has a range of 124 miles, though it is intended for shorter city commutes.
![A startup has unveiled its hydrogen-electric truck that will the road in 2020 - here's a closer look](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticbiassets.in%2Fthumb%2Fmsid-55758362%2Cwidth-700%2Cheight-525%2Cimgsize-1132280%2Fbehold-the-nikola-one-hydrogen-powered-truck-the-startup-claims-it-can-get-a-range-of-1200-miles-for-reference-the-electric-truck-mercedes-plans-to-produce-in-the-next-decade-has-a-range-of-124-miles-though-it-is-intended-for-shorter-city-commutes-.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
The Nikola One will be powered by a stack of hydrogen fuel cells, as well as a 320 kWh battery, to achieve its range. The startup said it will have over 1,000 horsepower and 2,000 ft.-lb. of torque.
![The Nikola One will be powered by a stack of hydrogen fuel cells, as well as a 320 kWh battery, to achieve its range. The startup said it will have over 1,000 horsepower and 2,000 ft.-lb. of torque.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-55758361,width-700,height-525,imgsize-865467/the-nikola-one-will-be-powered-by-a-stack-of-hydrogen-fuel-cells-as-well-as-a-320-kwh-battery-to-achieve-its-range-the-startup-said-it-will-have-over-1000-horsepower-and-2000-ft-lb-of-torque-.jpg)
Nikola One first said in May that it was building an electric semitruck with a natural gas turbine as an online generator. In August, the start-up announced it would build trucks powered by a hydrogen fuel cell to achieve zero emissions, as seen on Thursday.
Nikola Motor Company said the truck will have a refueling time of just 15 minutes, edging out plug-in EVs that take at least an hour to charge when using a fast-charging network. With a typical outlet, a plug-in EV can take many hours to recharge.
![Nikola Motor Company said the truck will have a refueling time of just 15 minutes, edging out plug-in EVs that take at least an hour to charge when using a fast-charging network. With a typical outlet, a plug-in EV can take many hours to recharge.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-55758360,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1101838/nikola-motor-company-said-the-truck-will-have-a-refueling-time-of-just-15-minutes-edging-out-plug-in-evs-that-take-at-least-an-hour-to-charge-when-using-a-fast-charging-network-with-a-typical-outlet-a-plug-in-ev-can-take-many-hours-to-recharge-.jpg)
Nikola CEO Trevor Milton said at the event the truck will be equipped with cameras to provide panoramic views.
![Nikola CEO Trevor Milton said at the event the truck will be equipped with cameras to provide panoramic views.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-55758359,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1021339/nikola-ceo-trevor-milton-said-at-the-event-the-truck-will-be-equipped-with-cameras-to-provide-panoramic-views-.jpg)
The startup is officially taking reservations on its website Friday, though Milton said it has already received $4 billion-worth in reservations for the truck. Nikola is preparing to begin deliveries in 2020.
![The startup is officially taking reservations on its website Friday, though Milton said it has already received $4 billion-worth in reservations for the truck. Nikola is preparing to begin deliveries in 2020.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-55758358,width-700,height-525,imgsize-958010/the-startup-is-officially-taking-reservations-on-its-website-friday-though-milton-said-it-has-already-received-4-billion-worth-in-reservations-for-the-truck-nikola-is-preparing-to-begin-deliveries-in-2020-.jpg)
Milton told Business Insider in August that it had 8,000 reservations for the truck.
A big factor determining Nikola Motor Company's success will be its ability to set up a hydrogen station infrastructure to support the trucks when they are out on the road. Below is a map of the 364 hydrogen stations the startup plans to build beginning in 2018, with completion slated for late 2019.
![A big factor determining Nikola Motor Company](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-55758357,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1322802/a-big-factor-determining-nikola-motor-companys-success-will-be-its-ability-to-set-up-a-hydrogen-station-infrastructure-to-support-the-trucks-when-they-are-out-on-the-road-below-is-a-map-of-the-364-hydrogen-stations-the-startup-plans-to-build-beginning-in-2018-with-completion-slated-for-late-2019-.jpg)
Nikola said it will build solar farms to power electrolysis plants that will make the hydrogen. The startup will then transport the hydrogen to its refueling stations.
![Nikola said it will build solar farms to power electrolysis plants that will make the hydrogen. The startup will then transport the hydrogen to its refueling stations.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-55758356,width-700,height-525,imgsize-317059/nikola-said-it-will-build-solar-farms-to-power-electrolysis-plants-that-will-make-the-hydrogen-the-startup-will-then-transport-the-hydrogen-to-its-refueling-stations-.jpg)
Nikola is offering a leasing program for its trucks. Drivers can get a Nikola One for $5,000 to $7,000 a month, depending on the type of truck they want, for 72 months or a million miles. The hydrogen fuel is covered by the lease.
![Nikola is offering a leasing program for its trucks. Drivers can get a Nikola One for $5,000 to $7,000 a month, depending on the type of truck they want, for 72 months or a million miles. The hydrogen fuel is covered by the lease.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-55758355,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1066847/nikola-is-offering-a-leasing-program-for-its-trucks-drivers-can-get-a-nikola-one-for-5000-to-7000-a-month-depending-on-the-type-of-truck-they-want-for-72-months-or-a-million-miles-the-hydrogen-fuel-is-covered-by-the-lease-.jpg)
Nikola also introduced a system called "Nikola Shipments," where freight brokers upload what cargo they need picked up. Independent drivers can then choose to pick up freight and customize a route based on the different stops they wants to make.
![Nikola also introduced a system called "Nikola Shipments," where freight brokers upload what cargo they need picked up. Independent drivers can then choose to pick up freight and customize a route based on the different stops they wants to make.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-55758354,width-700,height-525,imgsize-652399/nikola-also-introduced-a-system-called-nikola-shipments-where-freight-brokers-upload-what-cargo-they-need-picked-up-independent-drivers-can-then-choose-to-pick-up-freight-and-customize-a-route-based-on-the-different-stops-they-wants-to-make-.jpg)
Milton referred to the system as an Uber for the trucking industry because drivers can customize a route based on the different stops they want to make. The freight brokers can then review the drivers based on how reliable they were.
The trucks will come with 21-inch display screens that will show the Nikola Shipments system.
Nikola Motor Company chose Ryder System, a truck rental and fleet management supply chain, as its exclusive distribution and maintenance partner. Ryder has 800 service locations in North America.
![Nikola Motor Company chose Ryder System, a truck rental and fleet management supply chain, as its exclusive distribution and maintenance partner. Ryder has 800 service locations in North America.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-55758353,width-700,height-525,imgsize-893149/nikola-motor-company-chose-ryder-system-a-truck-rental-and-fleet-management-supply-chain-as-its-exclusive-distribution-and-maintenance-partner-ryder-has-800-service-locations-in-north-america-.jpg)
Nikola has partnered with truck manufacturing company Fitzgerald to produce the first 5,000 trucks. The rest will be produced by Nikola Motor Company's manufacturing facility, which will produce 50,000 vehicles a year. The location of the facility will be chosen in 2017.
![Nikola has partnered with truck manufacturing company Fitzgerald to produce the first 5,000 trucks. The rest will be produced by Nikola Motor Company](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-55758352,width-700,height-525,imgsize-777851/nikola-has-partnered-with-truck-manufacturing-company-fitzgerald-to-produce-the-first-5000-trucks-the-rest-will-be-produced-by-nikola-motor-companys-manufacturing-facility-which-will-produce-50000-vehicles-a-year-the-location-of-the-facility-will-be-chosen-in-2017-.jpg)
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