Nikola has launched HYLA, a new global brand for the company’s hydrogen-focused energy business. This involves the production, distribution and delivery of hydrogen for Nikola’s trucks. There is also a new order for the company’s FCEV truck.
The fact that Nikola, in addition to the electrically powered trucks – according to the company’s orientation preferably with fuel cells, but also available with batteries – also wants to bring its own solutions for the hydrogen infrastructure to the market was known and is part of the Nikola strategy. Now the child has its own name, HYLA.
As Nikola presented to more than 300 representatives from vehicle fleets, authorities, suppliers, energy suppliers and the media at an event at its company headquarters in Phoenix, Nikola wants to expand its own H2 production to up to 300 metric tons per day – exclusively in the USA. This consists of five projects, each of which is being developed together with partners.
With up to 150 metric tons per day in the final stage, the “Phoenix Hydrogen Hub” (PHH) in the City of Buckeye not far from the Nikola headquarters in Arizona will be the largest location. The PHH will be “built in phases to meet the needs of Nikola’s zero-emission trucks in the South West.” Construction of the first 30-ton phase is expected to be completed in the second half of 2024. However, the final investment decision is still dependent on official approvals, according to Nikola.
The hydrogen produced at the five locations is to be sold at 60 HYLA hydrogen filling stations by 2026. The first locations are to be in California, specifically in the city of Ontario (not to be confused with the Canadian state) and in Colton. Both cities are in the Los Angeles/San Bernardino area. In addition, another filling station is to be built near the port of Long Beach, which in combination with the three locations should result in a good supply around the important container transshipment point Long Beach.
In addition, HYLA also presented a mobile refueling system. Especially in the early years (with even lower penetration of FCEV trucks), it is said to be an “integral part of Nikola’s flexible customer service” by being able to offer an H2 supply solution to customers on site. The mobile refueling facility cools and compresses hydrogen to quickly refuel FCEV heavy-duty vehicles at 700 bar – instead of the 350 bar usual in Europe for commercial vehicles. In conjunction with the H2 tank on another trailer with a capacity of 960 kilograms, several customer trucks can be refueled one after the other.
“Nikola is the only company to successfully bring together such a revolutionary new product as the hydrogen fuel cell truck and the entire hydrogen energy infrastructure supply chain under one roof,” said Nikola CEO Michael Lohscheller. “The launch of our Nikola Tre fuel cell truck and flexible mobile tank trailer demonstrates a real and sustainable competitive advantage for our customers and is important proof that we are achieving what we set out to do.”
“The HYLA brand represents Nikola’s hydrogen-focused energy business – supporting our fuel cell electric vehicles and those of other OEMs,” said Carey Mendes, President of Nikola Energy. “Hydrogen energy is the catalyst for the HYLA brand and serves as a forward-thinking solution for our customers, helping them achieve their sustainability goals and drastically reducing overall CO2 emissions in the transportation sector.”
Nikola does not currently state whether HYLA will also come to Europe – all announced projects relate to the USA. The company works in Europe as reported together with E.ON on an ecosystem for H2 trucks.
Nikola also announces that Biagi Bros. plans to put 15 of its Nikola Tre FCEV hydrogen heavy-duty truck into service in Ontario, California in the fourth quarter of this year. The logistics company had been successfully testing the fuel cell truck since January 2022.
nikolamotor.com (HYLA), nikolamotor.com (Biagi)