nikola unveils 'badger' hybrid pick-up truck with 600-mile range

arizona-based startup nikola has announced its upcoming badger pickup truck, a hybrid fuel-cell concept with a 600-mile range. following tesla, rivian, ford, and general motors into the electric pickup market, the company plans to build to support its new venture.

the badger takes hydrogen from a refillable tank and converts it into electricity to power the motors, doubling its 300-mile battery-only range. nikola says it can generate over 900 horsepower and go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.9 seconds.

badger has locked down a deal with an un-named european trucking company to build the zero-emission trucks. one issue that remains however is the lack of hydrogen stations across america where you can refill a fuel-cell vehicle. to combat this, nikola says it’s planning 700 hydrogen stations around north america.

‘the electric pickup is designed to handle what a construction company could throw at it and is engineered to outperform all electric pickup trucks on the market in both continuous towing, HP and range. the badger will be outfitted with a 15-kilowatt power outlet for tools, lights and compressors, which is enough power to assist a construction site for approximately 12 hours without a generator,’ the company wrote in its announcement.

‘the nikola badger is a game changer. the program will help drive down the cost of the fuel-cell components on our semi-truck while accelerating the hydrogen station rollout. giving customers the option to order a fuel-cell or battery electric version will ensure we drive the cost down for everyone across our lineup,’ said mark russell, president of nikola corporation.

nikola hasn’t outlined when the badger will go on sale but says it will make its first appearance at nikola world 2020 in phoenix, which will take place on april 16-18. during the event, prototypes will be available for select customers and media to ride.

project info

company: nikola
model: badger
0-60 mph: 2.9 seconds
peak HP: 906
continuous HP: 455
peak torque: 980 ft. lbs
range: 600 miles
battery: 300 miles
fuel cell: 300 miles
hydrogen: 8 kg
fuel cell: 120 kW
towing capacity: 8,000 lbs
drivetrain: 4×4 independent wheel drive (IWD)
dimensions: 5890mm l x 2180mm w x 1870mm t