German engineering giant adds expertise to long-haul truck concept
Almost 12 months after launching its 1,000hp Nikola One prototype to the masses, US start-up Nikola Motor Company has teamed up with German manufacturer Bosch to revamp the truck’s powertrain.
The hydrogen-electric truck, first revealed in May last year, began pre-orders from last December and is expected to arrive in 2021.
To make that date a reality, Nikola says it has utilised Bosch’s eAxle expertise to re-imagine the truck’s “powertrain from the ground up”.
“We have been aggressively pursuing our goal of bringing the most advanced semi-truck ever built to market,” Nikola founder and CEO Trevor Milton says.
“The powertrain requires an innovative and flexible partner able to adapt quickly to the speed of our team.
“Bosch has empowered us to come to market quickly with automotive-grade hardware and software so our vision can become a reality.”
Suitable for a range of applications from passenger cars to light trucks, Bosch’s eAxle technology is a scalable, modular unit composing of a motor, power electronics and transmission.
To make it suitable for a long-haul truck that will deliver 2,000 ft/lbs of torque and “zero local emissions”, Nikola Motors says it and Bosch will “use this know-how to commercialize the world’s first true dual-motor commercial-vehicle eAxle for a long-haul truck.”
“The eAxle will use proven commercial vehicle electric machine technology and SMG (separate motor generator) motors from Bosch,” the company says.
“The technology vision of Nikola and integration expertise from Bosch will enable the Nikola trucks to realise unprecedented targets for e-machine efficiency.”
Paired to the eAxles will be a fuel cell system custom designed for the task by both companies.
The two companies will also create the vehicle controls – though they will be based on Bosch’s current software and hardware – and the safety concept and vehicle electrical architecture.
The powertrain will be consistent across the Nikola truck range.