Port cartage and drayage specialist, Coyote Container, has successfully completed a 400 mile journey in a Nikola Tre Fuel Cell hydrogen truck.
The trip from the Port of Oakland to the Port of Los Angeles in Long Beach last week involved hauling a container on a single trailer with a 17.7 tonne GVM.
William Hall, Managing Member and Founder of Coyote Container drove the Nikola over the often hilly 643-kilometres which involved climbs through the Altamont Pass in the Bay Area, Grapevine Canyon further along the I-5 interstate through to Tejon Pass with an elevation of more than 1200 metres.
This was followed by a steady descent to Pier C in Long Beach with a rest break for Department of Transport compliance in Lost Hills.
“The truck is a dream to drive and I arrived at Pier C with about 140 miles of remaining range,” said Hall.
“I drove conservatively and did the steep climbs at 40 mph much as I would in a diesel with that load profile, though I could have easily gone 55.”
In 2023 Nikola produced 42 trucks and wholesaled 35 Class 8 Nikola hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV).
These are reportedly the only US designed and assembled Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell electric truck on the road today.
Of the seven trucks produced but not wholesaled, three are being used in an extended field test with a fleet partner in Colorado, two are in continued validation and engineering and two are being used for service training/customer demos.
Assembled in Coolidge, Arizona, the FCEV officially commenced serial production on 31 July 2023, with the commercial launch on 28 September.
“As an owner of this trailblazing technology, I expect that there will be many lessons learned along the way and came prepared to deal with it,” said Hall, who experienced a glitch at the end of the trip in an hydrogen tank valve housed inside one of the five hydrogen tanks.
Nikola dispatched a repair team within 30 minutes to look at the issue.
As a safety precaution, the entire set of tank valves closed and shut down the fuel cell according to Hall.
“I still got my load into the terminal on the battery which had 20 miles of range at reduced power,” he said.
“Overall success in the trip with the load delivered in a safe and efficient manner.”
Nikola President and CEO, Steve Girsky was pleased with the outcome.
“Coyote Container’s historic California trip with their Nikola hydrogen fuel cell electric truck represents the incredible capabilities of our technology and its countless possibilities,” he told Prime Mover.
“We’re grateful for our trailblazing customers and partners who inspire us as we continue toward our vision for a zero-emissions future.”
Late last year Nikola formalised a definitive ten-year agreement with FirstElement Fuel (FEF).
The collaboration enables Nikola customers to access fuelling services at the new FEF multi-use heavy-duty truck station situated strategically near the port in Oakland, California.
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