Nikola has announced the recall of approximately 209 of its Class 8 Tre battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). This decision comes in response to investigative findings that have identified a coolant leak within a singular battery pack as the likely cause of a truck fire that occurred at the company’s headquarters in Phoenix on June 23, 2023.
The EV manufacturer has taken a proactive stance by initiating this voluntary recall, and it is in the process of filing the necessary paperwork with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). As a precaution, Nikola has temporarily suspended new BEV sales until the situation is resolved.
The pivotal findings presented on August 10 by Exponent, a reputable third-party investigator, established that a coolant leak within a single battery pack was the most likely cause of the truck fire. This conclusion was substantiated by a minor thermal incident that impacted a pack on an engineering validation truck at the company’s Coolidge, Arizona plant on the same day. No injuries were reported in either occurrence.
Nikola’s internal safety and engineering teams have pinpointed a component from a single supplier within the battery pack as the probable source of the coolant leak. Efforts are already underway to develop a field remedy, which is expected to be implemented in the coming weeks.
In light of these developments, Nikola is advising customers and dealers to take specific actions to optimize the performance and safety of the affected Tre BEV trucks:
- Keep the Main Battery Disconnect (MBD) switch in the “ON” position to enable continuous real-time monitoring of vehicle systems and safety mechanisms.
- Consider parking the trucks outdoors to facilitate over-the-air updates and enhance connectivity with Fleet Command, Nikola’s truck monitoring system.
Nikola is utilizing its software systems in real-time to closely monitor the trucks in operation, conducting ongoing risk assessments. To date, among over 3,100 packs installed on produced trucks, only two battery packs have experienced thermal events, which amounts to less than 0.07% of the total.
In the forthcoming weeks, Nikola plans to release additional information, updates, and necessary actions for customers in response to the situation. Steve Girsky, Nikola’s CEO, emphasized the company’s commitment to transparency and safety, stating, “At Nikola, we take safety very seriously. We stated from the beginning that as soon as our investigations were concluded we would provide an update, and we will continue our transparency as we learn more.”
