Commercial vehicle manufacturer Iveco has opened a production hall for electric trucks in Ulm. Gerrit Marks, president of Iveco in Ulm, said Wednesday that the company, along with US electric-car startup Nikola, plans to produce 1,000 trucks a year, up to 3,000 later.
Nikola Tree will be built on 25,000 square meters of factory premises starting at the end of the year, according to a press release. Starting in 2022, it will be delivered to customers in the USA. In addition to the battery-powered electric vehicle (BEV) production model, a prototype of the fuel cell version of the Nikola Tre was shown on the occasion. This model is scheduled to go into production in Ulm at the end of 2023. Nikola originally wanted to build a fuel cell truck first, but then changed his strategy.
Pilot project in Hamburg
Initially, the heavy duty electric truck is an export product, as it does not yet meet the requirements of the European Union due to its length and turn, among other things. In about a year, trucks that meet European standards must also be manufactured in Ulm.
Trucks are assembled in Ulm from parts supplied by 160 companies. Nikola contributes to the driving components, and Iveco contributes to the car’s cabin, among other things. Iveco Magirus, headquartered in Ulm, is part of the Dutch-British industrial group CNH Industrial. The group has set up a joint venture with rival Tesla Nikola to produce alternative-powered trucks.
Nicola Tree
(Photo: Nikola Motors)
Iveco plans to deliver 25 e-trucks to the port of Hamburg next year for a pilot project. It must be allowed to be paid as a US version of Tre with a special permit in the port area.
(anw)