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Startup truckmaker Nikola had its followers significantly hyped this previous March when it introduced it was going to leap aboard the electrical pickup truck bandwagon with the Badger. The truck, which solely ever appeared in laptop-rendered kind, was imagined to boast 906 horsepower and 980 pound-ft of torque, and ship 600 miles of vary. Now? It’s dead earlier than we even noticed the actual factor.
On Monday, Nikola introduced a brand new memorandum of understanding with General Motors, following prolonged new discussions over a proposed partnership following fraud allegations in opposition to the startup firm. Not included within the MOU is GM’s prior dedication to validate, homologate and manufacture the Badger. Nikola was additionally supposed to achieve entry to GM’s engineers to assist convey the pickup truck to life. It’s a giant strike in opposition to the brand new automaker, which banked on a variety of hype for its upcoming autos. Instead, it appears like we’re looking at actuality.
On the truck’s fast loss of life, Nikola stated in a press release, “As previously announced, the Nikola Badger program was dependent on an OEM partnership.” With GM out, Nikola clearly determined it wasn’t prepared to buy round for a brand new buddy. “Nikola will refund all previously submitted order deposits for the Nikola Badger,” it added.
The firm’s leaders post-Trevor Milton, the agency’s ex-chairman embroiled within the coronary heart of fraud allegations, began to distance the corporate from the Badger this previous fall. Nikola CEO Mark Russell beforehand stated the mission was “interesting and exciting,” however added shareholders have been centered on the core marketing strategy for hydrogen industrial semi vehicles. As I wrote in October, these feedback laid the groundwork for at the moment’s announcement. Nikola additionally cancelled its Nikola World occasion the place it was supposed to point out off the Badger pickup for the primary time, although the corporate pointed to COVID-19 precautions.
And with that, Nikola pens one other wild chapter within the firm’s brief historical past. Wherever the longer term takes it, a hydrogen-electric pickup truck will not be alongside for the experience.
Nikola Motors’ Badger electrical truck desires to sink its enamel into Tesla, Rivian
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