Nikola Corp. and Rig360 Service Network announced in April they will join forces to provide 65 service centers for Nikola’s heavy-duty zero-emission trucks throughout the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest.
Additionally, Rig360 will provide a dealer network for Nikola’s BEV (battery-electric vehicle) transport trucks and hybrid hydrogen fuel-cell/electric vehicles and their associated products.
Rig360’s existing service locations are ideally situated near major cities and intersections of the U.S. highway system for easy access for drivers and companies, Nikola said in a statement.
“RIG360 is a premier network of dealers that are committed to the highest levels of service support,” said Nikola Energy and Commercial President Pablo Koziner. “These dealers will provide Nikola customers with market-leading sales and service while helping them maximize operational efficiencies and vehicle uptime.”
Rig360 operates seven regional dealerships that have been providing service to long-distance truck drivers for an average of 75 years, including Thompson Truck Source and MacAllister Truck Center.
Nikola and Rig360 will finalize distribution networks and agreements to support the BEV Tre vehicle, expected to debut later this year.
Also in April, Nikola signed a letter of intent with European vehicle manufacturer IVECO and OGE, an owner and operator of a pipeline network, to create a business structure for transporting hydrogen from production sources to fueling stations in Germany.
Trial production of BEV Tre trucks is scheduled to begin at Nikola’s Coolidge factory in the fall of 2021. Installation of manufacturing equipment is expected to begin in May, as work on the roof over the steel skeleton is finished and construction crews move on to the siding and concrete floor.
Nikola reached an “innovative” electric rate deal with APS in January under which it estimates that under the rate structure it will be able to deliver hydrogen at market-leading prices and within the ranges required for Nikola to offer competitive lease rates for its truck customers.