GM will earn potential billions in benefits over the next few years.
Nikola will in turn save billions is battery development.
GM will build the Nikola Badger.
Nikola has teased its Badger hydrogen fuel-cell and electric pickup for a while. Many wondered how the promising pickup would see the light of day and now we have the answer. General Motors will build the truck using its proprietary Ultium battery system and Hydrotec fuel cell technology.
This deal will work out is both brands’ favour. Nikola will save billions of dollars as GM will engineer, validate, homologate, and build the Nikola Badger for both the battery electric vehicle and fuel cell electric vehicle variants. GM is working on the GMC Hummer EV truck and we suspect it and the Badger will share a number of components so assumingly the work is already underway.
GM will also be the global supplier (other than Europe) for fuel cells for Nikola’s class 7/8 trucks. FCV technology has enormous growth potential in the semi-truck and commercial truck markets.
Furthermore, GM will receive a $2 billion equity stake in Nikola along with an 11% ownership of Nikola and the right to nominate one director. Although GM will build the Badger, Nikola will be responsible for sales and marketing. As part of the effort, pre-order reservations are now open for $100 at nikolamotor.com/badger.
The Nikola Badger will make its public debut at the Nikola World 2020 event in Arizona which will take place between December 3rd and 5th. Badger production is expected to start in late 2022.