Photo: Nikola
Trevor Milton is facing a trial for fraud accusations dating from when he was still the CEO of Nikola. For the company, the IAA 2022 was the best opportunity to mitigate any bad impressions caused by that situation. Nikola did not waste it: the startup presented the Tre BEV for the European market and also the Tre FCEV Beta.
If you are following everything the company is doing, you are certainly aware that Nikola is already testing a version of the current Tre powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The first company to evaluate it was Biagi Bros. while the logistics company was transporting AB Inbev merchandise in California. The FCEV Beta introduces what we can expect from Nikola’s future products.
Although the new fuel cell truck looks just like an evolution of the current Tre, it is quite a departure from the current design. That starts with the logo, which abandoned the N inserted in a hexagon to become just the written company’s name. It makes a lot of sense for a truck maker still introducing itself to the market.
The new Tre FCEV Beta has a cleaner styling, with flat body panels and a more modern appearance. The new truck can carry up to 70 usable kilograms (154 lbs) of hydrogen. According to Nikola, that is enough for the truck to run up to 800 km (497 miles). Refueling the tanks at 700 bar takes around 20 minutes, which shows how convenient hydrogen can be for cargo transportation.
The Tre BEV demands 100 minutes to charge its nine battery packs at 350 kW to 80%. Each battery pack delivers 82 kWh, for a total of 738 kWh. Considering the total range with fully charged battery packs is up to 530 km (329.3 miles), the fast charging process gives the electric truck 424 km (263.5 miles) of range.
Using all these minutes, the Tre FCEV Beta would have completed its hydrogen tanks five times and be ready for 4,000 km (2,486 miles). Its payload is also certainly higher, thanks to its lower weight. Nikola expects the Tre FCEV Beta to be ready for production in the second half of 2023 in the U.S. and the first half of 2024 in Europe.
Although the new fuel cell truck looks just like an evolution of the current Tre, it is quite a departure from the current design. That starts with the logo, which abandoned the N inserted in a hexagon to become just the written company’s name. It makes a lot of sense for a truck maker still introducing itself to the market.
The new Tre FCEV Beta has a cleaner styling, with flat body panels and a more modern appearance. The new truck can carry up to 70 usable kilograms (154 lbs) of hydrogen. According to Nikola, that is enough for the truck to run up to 800 km (497 miles). Refueling the tanks at 700 bar takes around 20 minutes, which shows how convenient hydrogen can be for cargo transportation.
The Tre BEV demands 100 minutes to charge its nine battery packs at 350 kW to 80%. Each battery pack delivers 82 kWh, for a total of 738 kWh. Considering the total range with fully charged battery packs is up to 530 km (329.3 miles), the fast charging process gives the electric truck 424 km (263.5 miles) of range.
Using all these minutes, the Tre FCEV Beta would have completed its hydrogen tanks five times and be ready for 4,000 km (2,486 miles). Its payload is also certainly higher, thanks to its lower weight. Nikola expects the Tre FCEV Beta to be ready for production in the second half of 2023 in the U.S. and the first half of 2024 in Europe.
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