Nikola is now part of the CNH Industrial family

It is still early to evaluate the impact that Nikola will have on Iveco and Fpt Industrial. For sure, Nikola will contribute technologies for the european joint venture with CNH Industrial that will include fuel-cell expertise, e-axles, inverters, independent suspension, on-board hydrogen fuel storage, software update functionality, infotainment, vehicle controls, vehicle-to-station communication protocols, power electronics, and access to a hydrogen fueling network.

A promising cooperation from the Capital Markets Day

CNH Industrial’s Capital Markets Day brought Nikola’s technological innovation to the new Iveco and Fpt Industrial spin-off. CNH Industrial, in fact, announced its intention to enter into a strategic partnership with the company based in Phoenix to accelerate industry transformation towards emission neutrality of Class 8/Heavy-Duty Trucks in North America and Europe through the adoption of fuel-cell technology.

NIKOLA AND FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY

The investment will be around $ 250 million. Two decisive factors: the introduction into the Iveco portfolio of proprietary fuel cell and battery technologies, and the business model, a form of leasing that includes vehicle, service and maintenance and refueling costs. How the synergy between the protagonists involved is going to evolve was clarified during the press conference. The focus is on three main projects: the Nikola ONE, a NAFTA- compliant Class 8 sleeper truck (with night compartment in the cabin); the Nikola TWO, a NAFTA-compliant Class 8 day-cab truck; and the Nikola TRE, a European compliant cab-over Heavy-Duty Truck.

The words of Nikola and CNH

Trevor Milton, Chief Executive Officer, Nikola Corporation, said: «Nikola has the technology but needs a partner with a European network to achieve it in a timely manner. By bringing CNH Industrial on board, we now have access to manufacturing know-how, purchasing power, validated truck parts, plant engineering and much more».

Gerrit Marx, President Commercial and Specialty Vehicles, CNH Industrial, added: «While today LNG delivers significantly lower well-to-wheel emissions, in the medium to long-term, fuel-cell and BEV technologies will deliver the ultimate goal of zero-emission trucking. With our LNG technology we have proven to be European disruptors, taking the lead in industry transformations including fuel supply and lifecycle ownership».

THE EXPECTATIONS FROM LAST WEEK ON THE CAPITAL MARKET DAY