Nikola Motor Company reveals its class 8 tractor design (EV/serial hybrid)

[seifrob]

I also assume that other factors like drivers visibility, engine bay maintenance access etc come to play.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by CFECO

I was only referring to the tractor, the trailer remains a "Box". Yes it is taller than it is wide which is not perfect "Template", but this tractor could be a LOT smoother...IMHO.

Also the template really only applies in 3d. Meaning if the template was coming straight at you it would be a hemisphere. So while that may be ideal, at some point the hemisphere needs to become a box in the case of a tractor trailer. I think the front of this looks pretty good. I think some of those extra scoops and lines may just be there to make it look "real" or interesting. Like why the extra kick up in the front fenders?I bet they will cover the rear tires with skirts as well but they want it to look like an obvious semi in the concept.

[freebeard]

https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/...electric-truck

Nikola Motor Receives Over 7,000 Preorders Worth Over $2.3 Billion For Its Electric Truck

[seifrob]

They announced roll-out in five months! Any infrastructure preparations ( like CNG charging stations near truck depots) in your area?
(they promised 55 strategically positioned CNG stations).
EDIT: Press release says first prototype will roll out in december, so its too soon for CNG stations. I should have read more carefully.
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One more: I probably don't understand it correctly. They claim more than 7000 pre-orders worth of $ 2.3 billion. Does it mean that unit price is around $320 000? (2.3 billion div 7000). It seems quite high to me. What is price tag for new class 8 truck?

[Hersbird]

The original article said, " the truck’s operational cost per mile is somewhere between 20-30 cents per-mile, roughly half of most diesel-powered semis, but its purchase price is expected to range from $350,000 to $415,000." From what I see a normal semi starts at about $80k but could go as high as $200k with a bunch of options.

an average semi goes 50,000 mile per year but if you just counted long distance ones it's more like 100,000 miles. So if true at 100k miles and 20 cents per mile it would take 10 years to pay for the extra $200k.

[NeilBlanchard]

I think you are underestimating the annual mileage - an active driver would drive (at least) 250 days a year (5 days a week X 50 weeks a year). And they probably drive (at least) 500 miles a day, so that is 125,000 miles per year.

Apparently, they have gotten ~7,000 deposits:

http://insideevs.com/nikola-motor-lo...ic-semi-truck/

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

I think you are underestimating the annual mileage - an active driver would drive (at least) 250 days a year (5 days a week X 50 weeks a year). And they probably drive (at least) 500 miles a day, so that is 125,000 miles per year.

Apparently, they have gotten ~7,000 deposits:

Nikola Motor Logs 7,000 Pre-Orders For Nikola One Electric Semi Truck

I just got basic numbers from here. Those are averages, I bet some go over 200,000 miles per year.

10 Things You Didn't Know About Semi Trucks

[seifrob]

I was checking their webpage for progress made and realized they ditched gas turbine in favor of hydrogen fuel cells.
I don' t know. Looks more "posh" than "efficient" design to me.

Waiting for december.

[sendler]

Ditching the CNG powertrain in favour of Hydrogen 4 months before product launch is a big ditch to crawl out of. They promised free fuel for the first buyers and 55 filling stations across the USA. This appears to have become the next Elio. There are 952 CNG stations in the USA.
.
Alternative Fuels Data Center: Natural Gas Fueling Station Locations
.
And 31 Hydrogen
.
Alternative Fuels Data Center: Hydrogen Fueling Station Locations
.

[seifrob]

What troubles me is boasting that hydrogen is 100 % emission free. Nah. They just make pollution more centralised in hydrogen plants using natural gas. CNG made sense even with that turbine. You have more gas than you can use. Hydrogen economy? Doesnt make a sense to me.