In September 2021, Nikola Motors (hereinafter referred to as Nikola Motors) and IVECO officially opened a Joint Venture European Commercial Vehicle Plant. Not long ago, Nikola announced that its TRE electric truck has officially opened for pre-order and will be delivered sequentially in 2022.
I believe that many card friends in China have never heard of this unfamiliar name, and may even confuse it with the French Nicholas truck. In fact, the two companies do not have any intersection. As a start-up, Nikolai has been committed to the development of new energy trucks from the beginning, while Nicholas has been deeply involved in the field of large-scale vehicles and has achieved fruitful results. IVECO's parent company, Fiat Power Technologies, has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Nikola and become the company's largest shareholder. And the truck we look at today is also inextricably linked to Iveco
Black Truck in the Picture: Nikolai TRE is nikolai's first production truck product, and many of them represent the epitome of Nikolai's future development trend. First, TRE is based on Iveco's S-Way platform. As a very successful European flathead commercial truck, it makes sense to choose the S-Way.
Most of the vehicle parts are inherited from S-Way, such as cabs, headlights, axles and other components. Nikolai's front grille is dotted with blue lines, which is more futuristic and modern, and also illustrates Nikolai's development vision: green energy. From the beginning, Nikolai boasted that new energy trucks would replace the internal combustion engine. To this end, Nikolai has invested a lot of money to research battery electric drive technology and hydrogen fuel cell drive technology.
Next to the original S-Way headlights, Nikolai also added LED daytime running light strips and incorporated a bold aerodynamic design to improve the energy efficiency of the vehicle.
The futuristic feel of the vehicle spreads all the way to the side. The all-inclusive side skirt covers the rear wheels, reducing air resistance and enhancing dynamic performance. The wheel hub is blackened for a cooler, futuristic appearance. The vehicle is also fitted with an electronic rearview mirror system that enhances the field of view and further reduces air resistance.
To what extent was Nikolai's pursuit of wind resistance harsh? Even the original door handle of the vehicle was removed and replaced by a hidden door handle. A whole smooth cover plate is combined with aerodynamic lines, and every detail that reduces drag is not spared.
The same smooth material is used in the vehicle's side skirts to reduce wind resistance. Side cue lights with dynamic lines have been added to the side skirts for added safety.
At the rear of the cab is placed a partial battery pack with Nikolai's N-figure hexagonal logo on top.
The bumper shape of the vehicle resembles a high-performance passenger car. Powerful lines, bold shapes, combined with Hella's Shapeline series of lights, are not only practical but also very good-looking.
In terms of interior, the steering wheel is the same as that of the Iveco S-Way, but the Nicholas logo is replaced. The dashboard features a large LED screen, while the other operations of the vehicle are integrated into the large touchscreen located on the driver's right hand.
The sleeping bunks of the vehicle are no different from the S-Way.
After reading the above, do you think that the Nikolai TRE truck seems to be a product of the future? However, on the recently booked version of the Nikolai TRE battery, the situation is somewhat disappointing. Although the overall design language was maintained, the all-inclusive one-piece side skirt and electronic rearview mirror system were all reduced. This is also very easy to understand. As a very cost-sensitive electric truck, those gorgeous decorations will pull down the TCO of the vehicle.
The currently accepted model is the TRE BEV 6x2, which adopts the 6x2 drive system and the second shaft is an electric drive shaft. The vehicle uses an electric motor with 645 hp, a 753 kWh battery, a charging power of up to 240 kW, and a maximum cruising range of about 563 km. In the future, Nikolai will also develop models equipped with 1,000 kWh batteries and models equipped with hydrogen fuel cells.
The vast majority of the vehicle's frame, axle, cab, and subsystems still come from IVECO's S-Way platform.
The second shaft was modified by Nikolai and became an electric drive axle. The level of integration is high, and the output of 645 horsepower is also quite sufficient.
Like other electric trucks, the batteries are mainly placed on both sides of the chassis. There is more space on both sides of the chassis, and in the event of a crash, the cab displacement does not hit the battery, causing a fire. Nikolai covered the area above the battery with a large stainless steel work platform to facilitate the connection of the trailer or the maintenance of the vehicle, which was praised.
The one-piece bumper on the initial display version has also disappeared and been replaced by a more traditional simple bumper. The side skirt is also not all-inclusive, leaving a step for boarding work. The doorknobs are more radical, eliminating the concealed arrangement altogether. The electronic rearview mirrors have also been replaced by the same optical mirrors used by S-Way. Ideals eventually compromise with pragmatism.
The LED strip above the license plate holder has also been removed, but fortunately the separate LED daytime running lights next to the headlights have been retained. Combined with the unique air diversion structure, the design is still very recognizable.
In addition, the interior retains the large-screen control of the initial display version. Overall oriented to the driver, with better ergonomics. Of course, since the vehicle has not been delivered, it is debatable how it will perform in use.
Despite many regrets, thanks to Iveco S-Way's solid basic skills, nikolai TRE's static performance is still good. There are many businesses that have ordered Nikolai TRE trucks, and they will also start delivering to customers in 2022. For the European commercial vehicle market, there has not been a strong spoiler for a long time. At a time when new energy is intensifying, can Nikolai seize the opportunity to take the lead? Let's wait and see! Thank you for reading this article! I also want to see more interesting and informative commercial vehicle content, don't forget to pay attention to the Tigot Commercial Vehicle Network!
Text: Heseaotter