Nikola Corp., a company that specializes in zero-emissions transportation and infrastructure solutions, says it is collaborating with Total Transportation Services Inc. (TTSI), a Southern California-based port trucking company, to expedite zero-emission transportation at the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach.
The collaboration includes vehicle trials and a letter of intent (LOI) to order 100 Nikola Class 8 battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) semi-trucks. The collaboration is subject to negotiation and execution of definitive documentation acceptable to the parties.
The Nikola Tre BEV is designed for local deliveries up to 350 miles. The Nikola Tre FCEV truck is targeted for distances up to 500 miles and is expected to address the majority of the North American regional market, especially when additional freight hauling capacity and quick fueling are required by fleet operators.
“The Nikola Tre trucks are exactly the type of zero-emission solution we need to be using at the port,” says Vic LaRosa, president of TTSI. “Our trucks operate for 18-20 hours a day making the benefits of the Nikola portfolio a perfect match for our needs. The expected availability of the BEV aligns with our desire to reach our sustainability goals quickly and the FCEV is ideal for longer-range applications. Nikola’s value proposition of the truck and hydrogen fuel bundled together made this partnership even more appealing to our leadership team.”
The LOI will begin with a four-truck pilot slated to start in the first half of 2022 and consisting of two BEVs and two FCEVs. Based on satisfactory completion of the vehicle trials and subject to TTSI obtaining certain government funding, 30 BEVs are projected to follow later in 2022 and 70 FCEVs are anticipated to start in 2023.
According to TTSI, in any given month 13,000 to 14,000 trucks call at the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach. This location and transportation use case represent one of the largest opportunities in California to make a significant impact in the transition to sustainable transportation. TTSI has been at the forefront of this transition with early adopter status and will partner with Nikola Corp. to transition both BEVs and FCEVs into operation on a trial basis.