Electric truck manufacturer Nikola Corp. said Tuesday, January 18, that it has signed a deal with Proterra Inc for long-term supply of batteries to support production of its semi-trucks.
Nikola trucks equipped with Proterra batteries are expected to be put into production in the fourth quarter of 2022 with a prototype system delivered to truck makers in the second quarter, the company said, as quoted by Reuters.
Earlier in October 2021, Nikola said it had signed a long-term supply agreement with LG Energy Solution for battery supply from 2022 to 2029.
“With increasing demand for the Nikola Tre BEV and FCEV, we have been actively pursuing battery supply through a dual source strategy,” Nikola’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Russell, said in a statement on Tuesday, January 18.
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Proterra, which makes batteries for commercial electric vehicles, said in December it would open a new battery manufacturing plant in South Carolina as demand increases.
Nikola recently signed a Letter of Intent with a trucking and logistics company to sell hundreds of Tre battery electric trucks and fuel cell trucks. The deal has made them the acclaimed electric truck maker in the US.
Armed with a battery that is claimed to be more efficient and cheaper, Nicola hopes that their electric truck can compete with Tesla and Rivian, which also released electric truck products.