Three
months after the announcement of their partnership, Nikola and Iveco have
unveiled their first battery electric truck for Europe, the Nikola Tre. Unlike the namesake concept revealed
last year, this Nikola Tre is a different model based on the Iveco S-Way
heavy-duty truck launched last July in Madrid. That is obvious looking at the
photos as the Tre electric truck features a very similar exterior with only
minor modifications.
Those
include the illuminated ’N’ logo at the top of the grille and additional fog
lamps connected with the headlights via vertical LED DRLs. The Nikola Tre
integrates Nikola’s advanced electric technology and new-generation proprietary
infotainment system which significantly changes the appearance of the dashboard
compared to the S-Way.
The
integration of Nikola design cues on the Iveco S-Way has been jointly carried
out by Nikola and Italdesign. The Italian design house also signed the first
maquette of Nikola Tre unveiled in April 2019.
Mind
you, what matters more than the design is the technology. The Nikola Tre packs
a modular battery system with a total capacity of up to 720 kWh, which can be
tailored to match different customers’ needs. The vehicle displayed at the
unveiling is a Nikola Tre 4×2 tractor for regional missions offering a range of
up to 400 km.
The
infotainment system integrates the climate control, mirror adjustment,
suspension height adjustment, 360-degree camera system, navigation, Bluetooth
audio system, vehicle settings and admin vehicle diagnostics. The electric driveline will deliver 644 HP Continuous Power Output and 1,800 Nm of peak
torque. The truck will also be available in 2- and 3-axle rigid versions, with
GVW ranging from 18 to 26 tonnes for urban distribution
and municipality missions.
Nikola
Motor Company promises a dynamic performance “equal or better than a diesel
equivalent model. The Nikola Tre will debut in production form at the IAA 2020
commercial vehicle exhibition in Hannover, Germany, with the first units
scheduled to reach customers in 2021. Interestingly, Nikola says the
all-electric Tre is the first step on the path towards the fuel cell electric
model (FCEV), which will be based on the Tre and will become available by 2023.
