CNH, Nikola JV to Launch Heavy Truck

Dec. 5, 2019

CNH Industrial and Nikola Motors will launch a heavy truck as part of the joint venture and collaboration agreement between Nikola and CNH’s Iveco and FTP Industrial groups.

The battery electric Nikola TRE will use the Iveco S-Way truck platform and Nikola’s proprietary technology and controls. The public launch is slated for September 2020. Sales and aftersales support will be provided by Iveco’s European dealer network.

“The increasing focus on the recognition that there needs to be fundamental reductions in automotive emissions is driving our industry to rapidly seek advanced technological solutions,” said Hubertus Mühlhäuser, CNH Industrial CEO, in a prepared statement. “This joint venture with Nikola is testament to both partners’ technical expertise, which will result in tangible environmental benefits for Europe’s long-distance [haulers].”

Trevor Milton, CEO of Nikola, said in a statement:

“This partnership is a win-win for everyone involved. From the moment we launched the Nikola One in 2016, truck drivers and government officials have been asking for us to bring Nikola to Europe. We needed the right partner to help us enter the European market and CNH Industrial is the right commercial partner.”

The primary focus of the agreement is to leverage the partners’ respective expertise to successfully deploy Zero-Emission heavy-duty trucks, according to CNH. The partnership includes the creation of a European joint venture to develop and distribute cab-over hydrogen fuel-cell and battery-electric trucks for the European market. Nikola will provide its fuel-cell expertise and advanced technologies. Iveco, together with FPT Industrial, will contribute their engineering and manufacturing expertise to industrialize the fuel-cell and battery electric trucks.

Source: CNH Industrial