Carmaker with factory in Coolidge delivers first electric truck; company has big plans in the future
COOLIDGE, Ariz. - A significant milestone was reached in Coolidge on April 27, as Nikola Motor delivered their first electric truck, two years after they broke ground on their facility there.
Officials with the company says this the day this they transition from being a company that is asking for more money from investors, to a company that is starting to make money.
"Nikola joins companies such as Lucid, ElectraMeccanica, Atlis [Motor] Vehicles, and Zero Electric Vehicles to earn the moniker ‘Made In Aiizona,'" said Gov. Doug Ducey.
Company faced challenges in the past
Nikola Motor has faced several challenges to get to this point. The company's Head of Manufacturing, Mark Duchesne, says that is what makes this moment rewarding.
"When we started, when we broke ground, there was a lot of skepticism," said Duchesne. "A lot of people who didn’t believe in us, didn’t believe in we were going to do, what we’ve done, and I think we’ve proven. This is something. We are somebody here, and we’re growing."
Other Electric Vehicle Stories
- Arizona-made Lucid electric car set to hit the roads in the coming weeks
- EVs: Here's what you should know as interests in electric cars rise amid high gas prices across the U.S.
- DeLorean teases new electric vehicle, announces reveal date
Company has big plans up ahead
As of now, 30 so-called regional trucks are ready to be shipped out, with a range of 350 miles. The company plans to build up to 500 more in 2022, and up to 2,000 in 2023.
"Are you finding there’s a demand for this?" Duchesne was asked.
"Oh yeah. Huge demand, and the more trucks we make, the more the demand is going to get," Duchesne replied.
In 2023, the company hopes to begin a hydrogen fuel cell truck that can travel much farther.
Officials with Nikola say this is a win not just for them, but for Arizona, as their success will bring in more companies to support the industry.
Nikola is currently building a new facility in order to make more trucks in the future.