Three all-electric Nikola Tre semi-trailer tractors are being tested in the port of Hamburg.

They will undergo a three-month test run as part of the Port of Hamburg’s plans to decarbonise of freight transport.

The all-electric tractors are to demonstrate their practical suitability as the first climate-neutral heavy-duty trucks in the port, together with up to 25 other 4×2 vehicles to follow over the next two years.

The first Nikola Tre appears as a robust three-axle vehicle with two electric drives installed on the rear axle, with 480kW continuous output (653hp).

The trucks can handle full loads of up to 42 tonnes in container traffic.

The nine built-in battery packs, each weighing around 500kg, guarantee a minimum service life of six years or 500,000km with a remaining capacity of at least 80%.

In the coming year, an additional Nikola model with a fuel cell will increase the range from 500km to up to 800km. This means that the emission-free truck from the cooperation between Iveco and Nikola would be suitable for long-distance use.