Nikola Motors and Bosch partner to develop the first 40-ton fuel cell truck for mass production. Nikola Motors presented their Nikola Two electric semi-truck in their Nikola World event las year. The electric semi-truck uses 35 Bosch products, some of them created specifically for this truck, to be the future of heavy-duty trucks.
Bosch meets @nikolamotor: In just three years of development work, we have built the "Nikola Two" prototype – a truck with an eco-friendly #hydrogen powertrain. Check out the pictures to get some facts from the project! More: https://t.co/pXOmJnnT7L #emobility pic.twitter.com/tXL3uglJml
— BoschGlobal (@BoschGlobal) October 25, 2019
Bosch’s technology
Over 200 Bosch associates have worked in the development of this truck in the past two and a half years. One of the components that make the Nikola two a supercomputer is Bosch’s Vehicle Control Unit (VCU). The VCU provides higher computer power to manage complex electric/electronic (E/E) architecture that the truck needs. This will enable real-time updates and monitoring for the vehicle.
Another big difference in the Nikola Two compare to traditional trucks is the lack of side mirrors. The truck comes with Bosch’s Mirror Cam System, which consists of two cameras on each side to send real-time images to high-resolution displays inside the cab. These cameras are much smaller than regular side mirrors, which reduces drag and improves performance.
But let’s not forget Bosch’s Perfectly Keyless system that enables operators to monitor the fleet’s keys through a smartphone app digitally. Drivers will be able to unlock their assigned vehicles with their smartphones. The system will detect when the driver is close or far from the electric truck and locked it accordingly.
Nikola Two electric semi-truck specs
The most impressive feature of the truck is its zero-emission powertrain system. The system’s only emissions are water and oxygen, which make it friendly to our lungs and the environment.
The electric semi-truck is hydrogen-powered, and it has a fuel cell system. To clarify, it has a fuel cell stack where the chemical reaction between the hydrogen and the oxygen takes place. Then, the cell stack transforms the potential chemical energy into electrical energy. This is the reason why the fuel cell stack is the central component of the system. For more information about the truck, you can check out Nikola Motor’s website, where people can reserve a truck for free.
YouTube: Nikola Motor Company – Nikola Two Electric Semi Truck
Photo credit: all the photos were provided by Nikola Motor and were made available for press usage.
Source: Bosch’s newsroom press release for Nikola Two Truck / Bosch’s Stories / Nikola Motor Corp
