Nikola semi trucks are set to make an appearance in the marketplace by the end of 2021.
The company expects to be in profits by 2025. Nikola was established in 2015 by Trevor Milton.
They have focused on motorsport and freight transport. Nikola One was the first-ever truck produced by the company powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
The beautiful-looking truck is very advanced. We’ll share our thoughts on if they’re worth it, along with the different types of models they have.
We also discuss how long do their batteries last, where can you buy one, how much insurance will set you back, and a lot more!
Here’s a quick answer to How Much a Nikola Semi Truck Costs:
A Nikola semi truck will cost approximately $270,000. Nikola estimates that the maintenance costs will average around $6,680 to $9,540 per year on its semi trucks. Additionally, it estimates the cost of hydrogen fuel to be approximately $2.47/kg which translates to a cost of $0.33 per mile.
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What Semi Trucks does Nikola have?
The company is relatively new compared to other manufacturers. They have three semi trucks soon to be available.
The Nikola One was unveiled as a prototype in 2015.
The Nikola Two FCEV was unveiled again as a prototype in 2019,
The Nikola Tre BEV available at the end of 2021, is a fully electric version, the other trucks are expected to be in production by 2023 – 2024.
How Much does a Nikola Semi Truck Cost?
The average cost for making their trucks is around $170,000.
Nikola plans to sell and has been taking orders for their trucks at approximately $270,000. This is about $100k more than the average price of a conventional truck.
They planned to make a 22% profit by 2027.
If all goes to plan Nikola and Tesla trucks will slowly phase out the need for diesel trucks in the next 20 or so years.
How are Nikola Semi Trucks Powered?
They are powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Hydrogen is superior to any other batteries on the market today and is better for longer trips.
Hydrogen energy is converted directly into electricity.
It has high efficiency and low power loss and is suitable for carrying, storing, and delivering energy.
They also use Lithium-ion batteries which are standard in Tesla electric vehicles.
How much is the Nikola Battery?
Nikola estimates that their batteries will cost around $70 per kilowatt-hour of storage capacity. The price comes from calculations in usage and miles.
At this moment in time, the company has not shown its full hand.
The company has plans and partnerships with some big names in the industry.
As a result can reduce costs to the manufacturing process, meaning less profit for the company but a quicker acceleration to market.
How Long would the Battery Last?
The battery on a Nikola semi truck has an estimated range of anywhere from 350 to 900 miles.
They have partnered with IVECO who has produced 15 prototypes trucks.
Testing is still underway and could exceed the 900 miles the company previously thought the trucks could cover.
The batteries can last anywhere from 120,000 miles to 300,000 miles and will then need to either be rebuilt or replaced depending on its condition.
How much is the Nikola Hydrogen Fuel Cell?
The Nikola hydrogen fuel-cell price has not yet been revealed. The company plans to lease the trucks and service them via another company.
Bosch and Romeo Power make the batteries for the trucks.
The company has stated that if other trucks want hydrogen fuel, Nikola will sell it at $3.50 per kilo.
How Long does the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Last?
The hydrogen fuel cells will last around 150,000 miles to 200,000 miles, they will then be recycled and replaced.
A full hydrogen tank has an estimate range of 350 miles on the TRE BEV model, 500 miles on the TRE FCEV model, and 900 miles on the TWO FCEV.
Nikola has tested their prototypes. Under normal conditions, the numbers will probably change different routes, and weather can affect the battery performance.
What Fuel does a Nikola Semi Truck Use?
They use hydrogen fuel-cell power. Not only does this improve the vehicle’s performance by reducing the weight of the truck.
It also has zero-emission on the environment.
Nikola has plans to revolutionize the commercial trucking industry, and continually develop their products to become number one.
How much would the Fuel Cost?
The hydrogen fuel cells hold up to 80kg at once and take 20 minutes to fill, from almost empty. The estimated cost to fill a hydrogen tank up would be around $197.60.
This assumes that Nikola will be able to get the cost down of hydrogen fuel to $2,47 per Kilo. However, the current price of hydrogen in the U.S. is approximately $14 per pound, which is a 12.6 times higher than their estimation.
The weight reduction will be the most significant difference to the driver. The truck comes in at around 10,000 lighter than a conventional tractor.
The need for fuel tanks on a regular truck is one cause for its immense weight, and the cost is approximately three times more expensive than a hydrogen fuel cell fill-up.
What is the Nikola Semi Truck Range?
Nikola has three semi trucks. They plan to have all three launched into the market by 2023.
The TRE BEV is a very nice-looking truck with a 350-mile range, 645 horsepower that can be charged in two hours.
The TRE FCEV looks very futuristic and has a range of 500 miles with a 20 minute refuel time and 645 horsepower.
The TWO FCEV looks like the new Volvo VNL, except more modern, sleek, and better looking. It has a 900-mile range with a 20 minute refuel time and 645 horsepower.
How much would Maintenance cost on a Nikola Semi Truck?
Nikola estimates an average of around $6,000 to $9,000 per year.
They also estimate that a rebuild would be necessary after 700,000 miles. It seems the company has thought of everything.
If they pull this off, which is no reason why they can’t, they would have halved the maintenance cost to truck drivers.
However, at the moment, this is just speculation. I guess we will have to wait and see.
How much would Insurance Cost on a Nikola Semi Truck?
If the Tesla Model 3 is anything to go by, then insurance on a Nikola semi truck will cost you more. But we have to remember that a Tesla costs more to insure due to the high repair costs.
It may not be the same in a Nikola semi truck. At the moment it would be a guess, and our guess is between $500 to $800 a month at its lowest point and $700 to $1200 a month at its highest.
This covers the North and South of the price range.
Are Nikola Semi Trucks Worth It for the Price?
If you are going to save money and looking futuristic, it can be worth buying a Nikola truck.
There are many benefits to a Nikola truck, like the advanced technology and driver dashboard.
While it does present an attractive package, it may not be for everyone. Trucking veterans rarely like to stray from their much-loved Peterbilts and Kenworths, which have a real truck feel to them.
What Nikola and any truck manufacturer have to bear in mind, however, is that although they are trying to give truck drivers a feel of driving a car with the new style and technology.
Most truck drivers take up trucking to drive a truck, to feel they are in a real truck, not a car. Could this be Nikola’s big mistake? Time will tell.
Are Nikola Semi Trucks Safe?
The safety features on a Nikola semi truck, as you would imagine, are high-tech.
The trucks have surround vision 12 cameras to give the driver a full 360-degree view of the truck.
The trucks also have electric motors on every wheel, which allows them to engage the brake calipers within about 30 milliseconds, almost 15 times faster than a diesel truck, stopping the truck much sooner.
Panoramic view from the cab enables the driver to see the road in front of them and the sides. A mid-cab entry allows the driver to mount the cab in a safer lower fashion.
A lower center of gravity by two to three feet helps to prevent rollovers.
Are Nikola Semi Trucks Fuel Efficient?
Nikola Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trucks
It comes as no surprise the Nikola semi trucks with their hydrogen fuel cells can cover more miles.
Nikola hydrogen fueled trucks will have a fuel economy of 7,5 miles per kilogram of fuel or 3,38 mile/lbs.
Currently hydrogen fuel is expensive in the U.S. with prices sitting around the $14 per pound.
However, Nikola estimates that prices of hydrogen fuel will drop to $2,47/kg ($1.11/lbs).
This means that one can expect to pay approximately $0.33 per mile.
It means you can save money while earning more this is hard to beat, considering every trucker is in the business of making as much money as they possibly can.
The Nikola one with its fully electric engine can range 500 to 750 miles on a full charge.
Nikola Electric Trucks
The Nikola TRE BEV has a 753 kWh battery pack and a range of up to 350 miles. According to Nikola, you will be able to get about 2.25 kWh per mile.
The cost of electricity is around $0.13 per kWh at charging stations in the U.S.
This means that it would cost approximately $0.29 per mile to drive a Nikola TRE BEV.
How Long would a Nikola Semi Truck Last?
Nikola estimates their trucks would need a rebuild at around 700,000 miles. It could be their life expectancy or that they know the truck will die in that time frame.
Either way, it seems a little short compared to conventional trucks. The rebuild price will more than likely be high, considering the value of the truck.
Where in the U.S. can you Buy a Nikola Semi Truck?
In 2016 Nikola trucks signed an exclusivity deal with Ryder to distribute and maintain all their trucks across their 800 service locations in America.
Production of these trucks hasn’t started yet. The company has plans to building in the second half of 2023 and 2024.
If you like the look of them and plan to purchase one, they are taking orders!
Sources
https://nikolamotor.com/NikolaInvestorPresentation3-3-2020.pdf
