On August 10th, Phoenix-based Nikola Corp. announced a major deal with Republic Services, also headquartered in Phoenix and the nation’s second largest recycling and waste-handler after Waste Management, for 2,500 new electric garbage and recycling trucks. Recent reporting on the deal indicates that the zero-emissions trucks will be manufactured at Nikola’s Coolidge manufacturing plant and have “a range of 150 miles and the capacity to handle 1,200 residential trash cans on a single charge.”
The deal for 2,500 electric truck chassis and bodies includes an option to increase the order to 5,000 units, with on-road testing scheduled to begin in early 2022 and deliveries expected in 2023.
Roughly one-fifth of Republic’s 16,000 vehicle fleet currently runs on natural gas, but Nikola has said that “the zero-emission trucks will outperform vehicles powered by diesel or natural gas in both horsepower and torque.” According to a Wall Street Journal exclusive, “Nikola’s long-term plan is to be a leader in passenger and heavy trucks that rely on batteries or fuel cells for power.”
Once again, Arizona businesses are leading the way in clean energy technology and innovation. As Nikola CEO Mark Russell said of the deal, “This is a game changer. Refuse truck customers have always ordered chassis from truck OEMs and bodies from other suppliers. Nikola has fully integrated the chassis and body, covering both with a single factory warranty. Trucks will include both automated side loaders and front-end loaders — all of which will be zero-emission.”