Nikola Tre BEV is a cabover for a new era: Test Drive

Everywhere it goes, Nikola's Tre battery-powered tractor seems to draw attention. The truck has been displayed at a number of trade events and is frequently mobbed by hordes of onlookers. Undoubtedly, the uniqueness of the cab-over-engine design contributes to some of that intrigue. The Argosy from Freightliner, which debuted in 1998, was the final brand-new COE that North Americans had to swoon over.

At that time, COE trucks' market share had decreased to just 3%. Because the configuration was technically capable of towing a trailer up to 58 feet long, Freightliner predicted a comeback of the configuration. Fifty-eight-footers were never popular. Argosy didn't either. Although it was taken off the North American market in 2006, it was still produced for South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand until 2020. Until then, glider kits were still sold in North America.

At the annual meeting of the American Trucking Associations' Technology & Maintenance Council, Nikola was providing ride-and-drives in a battery-powered Tre. Within hours of posting the invitations, all available transportation slots were taken. Later in the afternoon, when the potential paying customers had tried it out, extended drives were made available to media types.

I took a circuit around the conference center and then got on the freeway after approximately an hour behind the wheel.

The Tre's high seating is the first item that catches your attention. The driving position is about a foot or two higher than most ordinary trucks, and the cab floor is almost five feet above the ground. The large windshield and the extreme drop to the ground in front give the sense that the vehicle is in the air. The view is magnificent.

The digital cockpit

There is no mistaking that you are in a truck thanks to the wraparound dash's somewhat high seating position. The dash panels are also quite clean. Except for the switches that release the parking brake, there aren't many mechanical controls. Because that is what they are, I say switches rather than valves. The Bendix Intellipark system is used by Nikola. It is an electronic switch that is wired over the brake valves, which are likely hidden beneath the cab. It's odd that you can't hear the parking brakes release or apply.

The speedometer and the battery charge indicator are the only pieces of information the driver actually needs to see on the dash A-panel. The advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) built inside the truck displays lane position and following distance on the screen as it is traveling. With white letters on a black backdrop, it is highly minimalistic and simple to read.

None of the glass display dash panels lately released by other OEMs are as big as the 17-inch B-panel touchscreen in the Tre. Here, drivers can select from a wide range of menu-based functions. The standard features, such as headlights, climate control, and radio, are constantly visible, but other options are found somewhat shallowly in the numerous menus. Even the diff locks and other mechanical operations have touch controls on the screen. All of it is now electronically controlled.

Nikola Tre cab and chassis

The Tre has a wheelbase of 186 inches, which is the typical length for a day cab tractor and stands little over 13 feet tall. Due to the large amount of open space behind the cab, it appears longer. Nine modular battery packs with a combined capacity of 733 kWh are located in between the steer tires and the drive wheels.

Four dampened air springs that have been meticulously calibrated for stability, stiffness, and comfort support the cab. Three-leaf taper springs are used for the front axle. Innovative eight-bag air-ride suspension is used for the rear. Air disc brakes are present on every wheel position.

All of the electronics, electrical equipment, coolers, and convertors are located underneath the cab. Engineers had to work with a flat-floor cab rather than the old engine-tunnel designs, so the packaging job is quite tight. (Motorists referred to that tunnel as the doghouse. Although it made getting into the sleeper extremely difficult, it was a great place to lay down for a nap.)

Space and quiet

Actually, the cab is a typical single-bunk sleeper configuration from Europe. Drivers in this area, accustomed to 60 inches or more of free space, wouldn't put up with that. The bench seat in Nikola's demonstration trucks counts as a sleeper for the purposes of complying with the Hours of Service regulations. On the long-distance fuel-cell version of the Tre, Nikola claims that a full sleeper cab will be available.

The distance between the floor and the ceiling is almost seven feet. The gadget allows you to stand up and move about in it.

The cabin has a quality look and feel overall, and the seats are enormous and incredibly comfortable. A header panel above the driver has a few storage spaces, and below the dash are the usual coffee cup holders, which also include some additional storage.

Due to the lack of a diesel engine, it is incredibly silent inside. There is no tire or gear train noise, but there was some wind noise, and the air conditioning fans and even the cooling fans for the electrical system could be heard. Instead of the howl we usually associate with cooling fans on diesel engines, those fans—which were smaller than conventional diesel cooling fans—emitted a low hum.

Close-quarters maneuvers

The beauty of the Tre, in my perspective, is in its maneuverability. It has amazing steering and throttle pedal action. (Can we still refer to the pedal as a throttle?)

The Tre's accelerator pedal responds to the throttle like the old mechanical 3406 Caterpillar diesels, which will drive some people insane. Nothing could have been greater, in my opinion. According to what I've heard, Nikola's engineers spent a lot of effort mapping the pedals for the Tre. Naturally, the power moves along extremely smoothly and is highly responsive. It is electrified. It will treat you well, as well as your tires, if you are gentle with the pedal.

The truck moved when I applied just the tiniest pressure to the pedal, but it only moved as quickly as I did. The pedal sensation could be best described as articulate. similar to those vintage Cats.

“The Tre’s steering, while electric and no doubt also relying on sensors and motors for centering, has a more familiar mechanical feel to it.”

In a manner similar to a bus, you are literally out in front of the wheels because of the seating location, which is just front of the steer axle hub. It also has a rather significant steering cut that allows for a quick turn. The tightness of the turns and how sure-footed it feels in a corner will pleasantly surprise drivers. Despite the cab's height, there is no wobble.

Even though I wouldn't consider myself an expert in electric truck steering feel, I have drove a few that I wasn't too pleased with. The "feel" of a hydraulic system didn't seem to be there in such trucks. Positive caster is a common technique used by all vehicles to aid with centering. To bring the wheels back to center following a turn, some electric systems appear to rely more on sensors and motors. Just doesn't feel like it used to.

The Tre's steering offers a more conventional mechanical feel, although being electric and doubtless also relying on sensors and motors for centering. That can be taken as proof that the engineers did their jobs correctly. And that's crucial because truckers spend a lot of time guiding their vehicles, particularly local and regional drivers.

Tre’s BEV performance

I had a short Tre drive in Orlando—maybe 15 minutes on the road, bobtail—so I can't comment with any degree of honesty how well it performed. Last summer, I also had the chance to operate a Tre at Nikola's corporate headquarters in Coolidge, Arizona. Even though it was only a short trip, I did have a loaded trailer (82,000 lbs. GVW) and I spent around 30 minutes getting it up to highway speed.

A stock Tre can travel at 55 mph (just under 90 km/h) on a 5-6% grade, according to one of the engineers who was with me throughout the journey. Up to 645 horsepower can be sent to the wheels by the Tre's two drive motors. The torque figures, which would be considerably north of 2,000 lb-ft at any rpm, are not publicly available.

The Tre's noteworthy retarding power is the flip side to all that vigor. The test-Tre successfully completed the whole downhill while fully loaded with 82,000 lb. during testing on the 11-mile (18-km), 5% grade at Davis Dam in Bullhead City, Arizona, using only regen braking.

Like other modern AMT shifter stalks, it incorporates a six-position regen braking control on the steering column. With enough practice, a careful driver can navigate the city using only the service brakes to keep the truck stopped. I believe that talent will eventually replace the revered smooth-shifting diesel jockey of the past.

Nikola Tre final thoughts

The Tre's weight is the 800-lb gorilla in this room. Nikola hasn't given me a weight yet, but a fleet owner who's already bought a few of the trucks informed me it's close to 29,000 lb (13,150 kg). That number has been verified by Nikola.

The "typical" weight of a BEV day cab with 350–400 kWh batteries is around 22,000 kg, whereas Tre's 733 kWh battery capacity is roughly twice as large. Nikola informed me that although everything is now shipping with the full complement of batteries, a smaller pack might be available in the future.

I've never evaluated an electric drivetrain before. I know how to predict performance and drivability using diesel torque curves and gear ratios. With regard to electric systems, I'm still learning. I could compare two engines, like Cummins and Mack, intelligently, but I struggle to explain in great depth — at least beyond the obvious — the differences between a Nikola Tre and a Freightliner eCascadia.

It appears to be on par with its rivals at this early stage, but only time will tell if the Tre can meet the million-mile standard set by traditional OEMs.