GP Joule, a German renewable energy solutions company, has signed a Letter of Intent to place an order for 100 Nikola Tre fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).
The Class 8, heavy-duty FCEVs in the European 6x2 variant will be manufactured by the joint venture between automotive firms Nikola and Iveco Group at a facility established in Ulm, Germany.
Under the LoI, 30 of these vehicles are expected to be delivered to GP Joule in 2024, with the remaining 70 to be delivered in 2025. The energy firm says it may acquire the vehicles through Iveco Group’s all-inclusive electric truck rental model called Green & Advanced Transport Ecosystem.
“The order from GP Joule will be an example of how the Nikola Tre FCEV can further support commercial customers in Germany in their transition towards zero-emissions several years ahead of other OEMs, which helps to achieve the goal of decarbonizing the transportation sector,” Michael Lohscheller, President and CEO of Nikola, said.
Fuel cells take a gas like methane or hydrogen and use a process to covert it to electricity for transportation. The fuel cell can offer a partial or complete decarbonization compared with diesel or gasoline powered vehicles.
The order is subject to GP Joule’s successful application for KsNI funding, Germany’s program to support the acquisition of vehicles with alternative, climate-friendly drives.
GP Joule plans to make these vehicles available to its customers in transport and logistics. It has also agreed with Iveco Group to market additional FCEVs to customers in Europe starting in 2026.
The deal will see Iveco Group provide maintenance and service functions, while GP Joule will provide 100-percent green hydrogen at its hydrogen refueling station network.
“Together with Nikola and IVECO, we offer our customers all the components for climate-neutral heavy-duty transport from a single source: from the production and purchase of green hydrogen to the hydrogen filling stations to the fuel cell trucks and service that meet their needs,” Andre Steinau, Managing Director at GP Joule Hydrogen, said. “This is the easy entry into emission-free freight transport.”
Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Nikola is a designer and manufacturer of zero-emission battery-electric and hydrogen-electric vehicles, electric vehicle drivetrains, vehicle components, energy storage systems, and hydrogen station infrastructure.
