Producer of zero-emissions transportation solutions, Nikola has partnered with Allison Transmissions for the testing of its Class 8 battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). Testing was conducted at Allison’s 60,000ft2 Vehicle Electrification + Environmental Test (VE+ET) Center in Indianapolis, USA.
During the testing program, both the BEV and FCEV were put through their paces during performance tests in controlled thermal environments and dynamometer road simulations. The tests used Nikola’s hydrogen refueling equipment in addition to a constant flow of hydrogen which was supplied by the VE+ET Center to enable uninterrupted tests. Additional evaluation included the monitoring of battery management systems and HVAC testing where solar simulation technology was used to reproduce extreme temperature levels.
“We’re proud to collaborate with Nikola as they develop innovative, next-generation vehicles designed to reduce emissions and optimize performance,” explained David Proctor, general manager, Allison Vehicle Electrification + Environmental Test Center. “Our facility has the capabilities to support external customer test and validation programs for vehicles powered by every major propulsion type, which reinforces Allison’s commitment to taking a leadership role in the development of alternative fuel options for the commercial vehicle industry.”
“Leveraging the capabilities of Allison’s VE+ET Center has been a key enabler for Nikola to accelerate our product development cycle and confidently bring to market our Tre BEV early last year,” said Adam Tarleton, head of vehicle validation, Nikola. “We are looking forward to continued collaboration with Allison on our Tre FCEV product to deliver an industry-leading, best-in-class hydrogen FCEV with the performance, quality and reliability the commercial truck segment demands.”
