Nikola hydrogen semi seems belly-up as production halt rumors swirl
Cash-strapped hydrogen truck maker Nikola is facing tough times — and its most recent round of layoffs has halted production of its controversial hydrogen fuel cell semi trucks as the company faces down bankruptcy (again).
Last week, we received a tip from someone claiming to be a Nikola insider saying that the company was planning to halt production of its hydrogen fuel cell-powered semi trucks. That tip was followed quickly by news that Nikola’s stock had sunk to a 52-week low, and a formal NHTSA complaint claiming the fuel cell shuts down unpredictably.
A TSB was issued by the truck maker that seemed to address the issues outlined, and the assumption was that the unconfirmed tip was related to the TSB.
For the uninitiated, a TSB is a technical service bulletin. Not quite a recall, a TSB is typically issued for what the manufacturer considers non-safety-related problems, and serves as a diagnostic tool for mechanics in the field when faced with known issues and common complaints.
Nikola’s TSB is included, below:
Now, however, it seems that the production shutdown at Nikola might be something more permanent.
A salesperson at a Nikola dealer who asked not be named told me he was instructed not to accept purchase orders on the hydrogen fuel cell trucks for the foreseeable future. Additionally, we reached out to Nikola last week with three relatively simple questions. Those being:
- We received a tip from someone claiming to be a Nikola employee saying that Nikola was going to halt production of the hydrogen trucks. Is that true? If it is, is that a permanent stop or a temporary issue to address the NHTSA complaint/display recall?
- Is the TSB mentioned here https://electrek.co/2024/12/06/hydrogen-early-adopter-faces-big-problems-amid-nikola-challenges/ related to the breakdowns/are you confident that will improve the situation?
- At least one early Nikola customer told us they had to buy all new chargers because their original charging solution wouldn’t “wake” the trucks. Is that resolved/what chargers work best with Nikola trucks?
- I also have a salesperson at a Nikola dealer saying he’s been told not to take POs on the hydrogen trucks until further notice. Curious if you have a comment on that, also?
After a few days of waiting and asking for updates, we received the following non-response from Nikola’s comms team: At this time, we are unable to comment. I will let you know if that changes.
It doesn’t take days to say “no”
“Yeah, this takes a minute to verify,” said Fred Lambert, Electrek editor-in-chief, when we talked about this story. “If they’re not responding, they won’t, or they’re trying to massage the truth.”
I whole-heartedly agree with Fred. It would take a handful of seconds to say, “We’re still building trucks, let me get back to you on the rest,” but the refusal to comment, the delay, coupled with the company’s latest SEC filing that included the depressing language (below), doesn’t do much to instill confidence in Nikola’s future prospects.
Further, the doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern has and continues to adversely affect our ability to obtain new financing on reasonable terms or at all. If we cannot raise additional capital when we need it, we may have to significantly reduce our spending, delay, scale back or cancel some or all of our planned business activities or operations, sell assets, or substantially change our corporate structure, and we may not have sufficient resources to conduct our business as planned or at all. For example, in October and December 2024, we reduced our workforce in order to better align our staffing with our current needs. However, these reductions in force may result in unintended consequences and costs, such as loss of institutional knowledge, decreased morale, an adverse impact on our reputation and challenges in attracting new talent as well as retaining experienced employees in the future. If we cannot raise sufficient capital when needed, we may be forced to further curtail or to discontinue our operations, which would materially and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, business, and prospects, and may result in a loss of your investment.
What’s more, Reddit user Patron_1969 (a profile that links back to a Nikola worker) also seems to confirm that the production shutdown is real, buy says that it’s due to the company’s latest round of layoffs and attempts at cost-savings, rather than the unpredictable failures of the hydrogen drivetrain featured in the NHTSA complaint.
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With rumors swirling, official communications on lockdowns, and tipsters speaking up on email and social media outlets, it’s tough to do anything but assume the worst for Nikola.
It appears to be the end of a 4-year-long death spiral for Nikola:
It’s fair to note that Nikola’s problems are not necessarily indicative of the broader BEV and FCEV truck market.
The company’s problems went beyond the difficulties of delivering a new technology to an established trucking industry.
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Packing up to 852 hp and a cutting-edge technology stack developed by Huawei, Chinese luxury brand Maextro just revealed its latest entry into the Mercedes-Maybach EQS and Rolls-Royce Spectre segment of ultra-luxe EVs. Meet the all-new Maextro S800.
Despite a somewhat steady stream of new Chinese EVs that defy expectations and threaten to re-set the global order of performance cars, semi trucks, and just about everything in between, brands like Maybach, Rolls-Royce, and even Bentley have seemed relatively “safe,” in the sense that their value is based on something a bit less objective than lap times or kW/mile.
The new Huawei Maextro S800, first shown as a series of renderings late last year, seems to have found some of Henry Rolls’ secret sauce – and they’ve sprinkled it liberally all over the S800.
Huawei sparkles – literally
The shimmering, sparkly, fiber-optic headliner was pioneered by Rolls-Royce over a decade ago, pushing back against the more open and accessible glass-roofs that were becoming popular in the higher end market. Huawei goes a step further, adding similar, Swarovski-like shimmer to not just the headliner – but the door handles, the headlights, projections dancing around the car as you approach it in the street.
It looks and feels special, in other words. And these cars are all about making their owners feel special. Different.
When Henry Rolls began work on his first US factory in Springfield, Massachusetts way back in 1919, there was supposedly a mantra that management repeated to the workers. It went, “every time you touch the car, you add cost. Make sure you add value.”
I’m not here to argue that Huawei is living up to the same maxim with the Maextro, but I am here to argue that this car’s bespoke, purpose-built platform doesn’t share any parts with a lesser offering from the Mercedes or BMW or Volkswagen lineup in the way that a Maybach, Rolls-Royce, or Bentley does. That may not mean much to you and me, but the people shopping six- and seven-figure cars, it might.
Those well-heeled buyers will get a choice of EREV or “pure” battery electric powertrains good for between 480 and 852 all-electric horsepower. 32 ADAS sensors including both radar and lidar compliment a suite of cameras analyze the road ahead and feed data to Huawei’s ADS road perception system, which is constantly adjusting torque distribution, suspension compression and rebound, and front and rear steering to deliver a tech-driven chauffeur experience that Huawei insists is second to none.
That digital chauffeur is also pretty handy when the weather goes sideways, too. Huawei says the Maextro’s sensor array can help it to increase the detection distance in rain, fog, and dust by 60% compared to the benchmark, while delay was reduced by 40%.
In the event a collision is unavoidable, the car can adjust its stance, seating position, raise the windows, and unlock the central control lock to enable outside help to open the doors. Following the collision, the Maextro S800 switches the redundant power supply and calls for help, as well.
Finally, reports indicate that the Maextro S800 supports the 800V high-voltage system in some trims, suitable for 6C charging, which means it can be energized with up to 390 kW of charging power, taking just 10.5 minutes to charge the 66 kWh battery in the EREV version (523 hp) from 10% to 80%.
The Maextro S800 will enter the Chinese in May this year with a price range of 1 – 1.5 million yuan (about $135–205,000 US).
Maextro S800 | gallery
SOURCE | IMAGES: Maextro, via CarNewsChina.
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Volvo Penta will debut its latest modular and scalable battery energy storage system (BESS) platform for the off-grid construction and mining industries at the bauma equipment show – here’s what you can expect.
Best-known for its marine engines and gensets, Volvo Penta is the power production arm of the Volvo Group, specializing in putting energy to work. Operating under the tagline, ‘Made to Move You’, Volvo Penta is headed to bauma 2025 with a plan to keep construction, port shipping, and mining operations moving productively and competitively throughout their transitions to battery and (in theory, at least) hydrogen power.
To that end, the company will show off a job site ready version of the scalable and modular BESS subsystem concept shown last year.
Volvo says its new, modular BESS subsystem will enable other OEMs and third party system integrators to seamlessly deploy electric power to meet the ever-exceeding energy needs in construction and mining.
“Our modular and scalable battery-electric platform is designed to support the electrification ecosystem—combining high-performance drivelines with the crucial energy storage subsystems for efficient charging and operation in construction and mining,” says Hannes Norrgren, President of Volvo Penta Industrial. “We want to meaningfully collaborate with our customers on value-added customization that will enable them to stay productive, efficient, and future-ready.”
The Penta substation at bauma will be built around the company’s “Cube” battery pack, an energy-dense solution with a favorable C-rate designed to make it easy for BESS manufacturers to offer more compact job site solutions capable of charging and discharging energy with high levels of speed and efficiency, enabling both stationary and mobile BESS configurations that can change and grow to meet the evolving needs of a given asset fleet or project.
A Volvo Penta-developed DC/DC unit converts the voltage from the Cube battery packs (600 V) into lower voltage (24 V) for powering auxiliaries and portable offices.
Electrek’s Take
Volvo Penta has always provided power. Historically that’s been from combustion, but the company is looking ahead, developing products that will bring energy to job sites, tractors, and more long after the last ICE engine shuts down.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Volvo Penta.
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Just days after Rivian announced that it would be making its iconic electric delivery vans available to anyone willing to pay for one, the company launched the new Rivian Upfit Program, offering a “one-stop shop” to help fleet managers put its EVs to work.
Launched in partnership with commercial vehicle heavyweights Ranger Design, Sortimo of North America, Bush Specialty Vehicles, Holman, LEGEND, and EV Sportline, the Rivian Upfit Program helps fleet buyers make the switch to electric by simplifying the ordering process and delivering an experience that more closely reflects the experience fleet managers get at dealerships.
Despite partnering with leading brands and launching into a well-establish market, however, the program’s web page seems largely aimed at people outside the space – even kicking off with an explanation of what upfitting is:
Upfitting is the process of customizing a vehicle in order to meet fleet, business, or individual consumer needs to tackle the job at hand. This work is done after the vehicle has been built and released from the factory, and can include everything from shelving modifications, flooring options, to sirens and flashers and much more.
The program was announced on LinkedIn with a number of photos indicating upfit options for Rivian’s R1T and R1S vehicles focused on lifeguard and roadside assistance duty, and Rivian’s van upfit with a HVAC/telecom style toolbox arrangement.
No word on pricing or turnaround time.
Electrek’s Take
The general consensus around the Electrek water cooler is that the direct-to-consumer model offered by Rivian, Tesla, and even CarMax deliver a superior customer experience, I’ve consistently drunk the franchise dealer Kool-Aid, arguing that the industry-leading margins enjoyed by these companies actually indicate they’re giving consumers an objectively worse deal than they’d get in a more competitive dealer landscape.
That same competitiveness has led to talented fleet managers at those franchise dealers putting in the effort to get to know the needs of the businesses and buyers in their regions, to understand what upfit options makes sense for their local markets, and – crucially – what to stock for quick turnaround when their customers need it.
Rivian is hoping its upfit partners will do a lot of that heavy lifting for them, but my two cents is that if building cars is hard, building relationships is harder, and Rivian isn’t going to make a good first impression by talking down to its customers. If you think differently, let me know how I got it wrong in the comments.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Rivian, via LinkedIn.
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