Nikola says open to cooperation with Hyundai Motor on hydrogen technology | News

Thursday, August 13, 2020 12:44 a.m. EDT

by Thomson Reuters

SEOUL (Reuters) – U.S. electrical business truck maker Nikola mentioned it’s open to collaborating with Hyundai Motor <005380.KS> on hydrogen know-how, following a media report it had reached out to the Korean automaker.

In an interview with South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo printed on Sunday, Trevor Milton, founding father of Nikola Corp, mentioned he want to cooperate with Hyundai. He mentioned he had twice made proposals to Hyundai that had been rejected.

Hyundai, together with Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> are among the many few automakers championing hydrogen know-how.

“Trevor has immense respect for Hyundai and views Hyundai amongst the leaders in hydrogen all over the world,” Nikola spokeswoman Nicole Rose mentioned in an emailed assertion to Reuters.

“Trevor has, and can proceed to be, open to collaborate in the event that they ever select to take action,” Rose mentioned. She didn’t handle queries on whether or not Nikola had made proposals to Hyundai.

An individual accustomed to Hyundai mentioned that there aren’t any present cooperation talks between the 2 corporations. “If Nikola makes an official provide, Hyundai can think about the proposal,” the particular person mentioned.

He mentioned that Hyundai desires to promote its hydrogen programs to different automakers, however on the identical time, Nikola may turn out to be a possible competitor to Hyundai’s business truck enterprise.

“It might be an advanced relationship,” he mentioned, declining to be recognized as a result of he’s not authorised to talk to the media.

Hyundai declined to remark.

Hyundai Motor in July shipped the primary 10 models of the Hyundai XCIENT Gasoline Cell, the world’s first mass-produced gasoline cell heavy-duty truck, to Switzerland, with a purpose to roll out a complete of 1,600 models by 2025.

In late 2018, Hyundai Motor Group mentioned it could drastically increase its annual fuel-cell programs manufacturing capability to 700,000 models by 2030, together with 200,000 models to be bought to outdoors prospects, together with different automakers and producers of drones, vessels and forklifts.

Hyundai has partnered with Audi on hydrogen car know-how.

Nikola has mentioned it plans to start out producing its battery electrical vehicles in 2021, adopted by its gasoline cell electrical vehicles in 2023.

(Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Further reporting by Heekyong Yang; Enhancing by Jacqueline Wong)

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