The pick-up that wants to annoy Tesla’s cyber truck
Elon Musk won’t like that: The Tesla boss has just presented a pick-up with an electric motor – and the US brand Nikola is coming up with the same idea. With almost 1,000 HP, the Badger accelerates like a Porsche.
Some observers in Germany were surprised that Tesla presented the latest model of a pick-up in November 2019. A little later, the manufacturer was able to present 200,000 pre-orders for its cyber truck. This shows that the huge cars are also huge business for manufacturers in the United States. And Tesla would be the only brand to offer an electric drive pick-up.
But it may not stay that way for long. The start-up Nikola from the USA is also planning a zero-emissions truck. The Badger is to be shown to the public for the first time in September 2020. In contrast to the daring design of the Tesla cyber truck, the Badger becomes a rather classic pick-up.
Acceleration like a Porsche
The technical data are more remarkable. The four-wheel drive is said to deliver up to 919 hp and around 1,330 Nm of torque. 461 hp are available as continuous output. From a standing start, it can reach 100 km / h in around three seconds.
Nikola wants to equip the 5.90 meter long five-seater with a 160 kWh lithium-ion battery for a range of almost 500 kilometers. Optionally, a combination with a 120 kW fuel cell is also possible. An eight-kilogram hydrogen tank together with the XXL battery should guarantee a range of almost 1,000 kilometers. At the push of a button, the driver can decide whether to run on electricity from the fuel cell or the battery.
Manufacturer wanted
It is currently unclear when the car will actually drive. In addition to the development, there is another construction site: Nikola is currently looking for a car manufacturer that will produce the Badger. Unlike Tesla, Nikola does not want to set up its own production sites.
(SP-X / mab / t-online.de)
