The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has awarded Nikola Corp., via the HYLA brand, and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) a $41.9 million grant under the Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) to build six heavy-duty hydrogen refueling stations across Southern California.
Caltrans sponsored the application and will work in partnership with Nikola to deploy the stations. This project furthers Caltrans’ zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) strategy to incentivize and support the development and adoption of ZEV freight technology across the state and supports the California Statewide Truck Parking Study through the provision of a safe place for truck drivers to park.
These six strategically located hydrogen refueling stations will be located along California freight corridors within the South Coast Air Quality Management District, San Diego County Air Pollution Control District and Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District. Each hydrogen refueling station will be designed to support and scale up over time with the growth of heavy-duty hydrogen refueling needs while attempting to maximize truck parking at each site.
“Nikola is thrilled to receive this grant from the CTC,” says Carey Mendes, president, Nikola Energy. “This award, in collaboration with Caltrans, will allow us to accelerate the deployment of zero-emissions hydrogen refueling infrastructure, which is vital for the successful launch our hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks in July.”
This grant further places a strong emphasis on open-access stations, and Nikola’s hydrogen refueling stations will align with this approach, ultimately advancing the adoption of all hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.
