Nikola Energy, a division of Nikola Corporation, and TravelCenters of America Inc. (TA-Petro) are collaborating to install hydrogen fueling stations for heavy-duty trucks at two existing TA-Petro sites.
The first two stations will be constructed at existing TA-Petro locations in California and are targeted to be commercially operational by Q1 2023 and are expected to accelerate adoption of hydrogen fuel-cell-powered commercial electric trucks. Paired with the expected 500-mile range of the previously announced Nikola Tre fuel-cell electric vehicle, the launch stations will enable operations of zero-emission heavy-duty commercial vehicles in and around the greater Los Angeles region and north through California’s Central Valley.
“Today we announce an important advancement in enabling the growth of heavy-duty fuel-cell electric vehicles by partnering with a leader in commercial fueling sites and high-quality customer services,” said Nikola President of Energy and Commercial Pablo Koziner. “Our collaboration in southern California will form a basis for building an expanded network of hydrogen fueling stations for Nikola vehicle customers and for industry use overall. This collaboration forms an essential part in delivering the hydrogen-based ecosystem required to advance zero emission solutions for commercial trucks.”
The two hydrogen fueling stations under consideration for development by Nikola and TA-Petro will provide for an open fueling network available to any truck customer and will follow a common industry standard for heavy-duty fueling protocols, ensuring compatibility across all hydrogen fuel-cell truck manufacturers.
“This exploration into hydrogen supply expands on our commitment to provide customers the widest range of fuel and non-fuel offerings, and on our Mission to ‘return every traveler to the road better than they came,’” said Jon Pertchik, CEO of TA-Petro. “Through our new business unit eTA, we are positioning ourselves to facilitate the transportation industry’s shift toward alternative fuel offerings including hydrogen, a leading form of energy for Class 7 and 8 vehicles. We are excited about this first foray into the future of heavy duty, long-haul trucks and look forward to supporting our loyal fleet customers as they increasingly adopt decarbonization strategies.”
