Nikola and Iveco take wraps off electric truck manufacturing facility in Germany

Nikola Corp, the US heavy duty electric truck maker, has unveiled its manufacturing facility in Ulm, Germany, where the Nikola Tre battery electric (BEV) truck is set to begin production by year’s end.

The new production facility, a joint venture with Iveco, the commercial vehicle unit of Italian American corporation CNH Industrial, was unveiled to the public on Wednesday – though, due to necessary COVID-19 restrictions, was limited to a gathering of around 100 international and national stakeholders and media.

The new factory in Ulm will also be home to the next evolution of the company’s modular heavy-duty Tre platform – a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) that the company hopes will enter production in Ulm by the end of 2023.

The factory, which measures in at 50,000-square-metres, features a final assembly process that has been designed specifically for “electric-born” vehicles and boasts a production line capable of manufacturing around 1,000 units per shift per year – which Nikola hopes to ramp up in the years to come.

“This new facility is beautiful, and we are grateful to the Iveco and Nikola teams for their collaboration and perseverance to bring it to life,” said Nikola CEO Mark Russell. “This is yet another important milestone for Nikola as we execute on our strategy and vision to be a global leader in zero-emissions transportation solutions.”

At the same time as the two companies were unveiling their new production facility, Nikola and Iveco also announced an agreement to collaborate on the testing and subsequent implementation of heavy-duty electric vehicles and charging infrastructure at the Port of Hamburg.

The two companies will partner to deliver up to 25 Nikola Tre BEVs to the Port of Hamburg through 2022.

“Hamburg is pursuing targets to become more climate friendly within the context of the EU’s long-term strategy to become carbon neutral within 2050,” said Jens Meier, Chief Executive Officer of the Hamburg Port Authority.