Nikola Corporation has announced its intention to build a new electric pickup truck, the Nikola Badger. Should it make it to market, the Badger would be competitive with the Rivian R1T, GMC Hummer EV, and Tesla Cybertruck.

The company has designed the Nikola Badger to run on electricity and hydrogen. Power comes from a 160 kWh lithium-ion battery and a 120 kW fuel cell.

It is promised to deliver 980 pound-feet of torque, 906 peak horsepower, and 455 continuous horsepower. It is slated to have an estimated 600 miles of range, 300 on batteries alone.

The five-seater Badger is slated to be outfitted with a 15-kilowatt power outlet for tools, lights and compressors, which the company says is enough power to assist a construction site for approximately 12 hours without a generator. It is designed to handle getting from zero to 100 mph with minimal performance loss and operate on grades up to 40 percent.

Nikola says, “With a fully loaded trailer and combined vehicle weight of 18,000 lbs., the Badger will be able to launch from a standstill on a 30% grade without motor stall.” It has a towing capacity of 8,000 pounds.

“Nikola has billions worth of technology in our semi-truck program, so why not build it into a pickup truck?” said Trevor Milton, CEO, Nikola Corporation. “I have been working on this pickup program for years and believe the market is now ready for something that can handle a full day’s worth of work without running out of energy. This electric truck can be used for work, weekend getaways, towing, off-roading or to hit the ski slopes without performance loss. No other electric pickup can operate in these temperatures and conditions.”

The Badger will be built in conjunction with another OEM utilizing their certified parts and manufacturing facilities. It is a full-size pickup truck, about the same size as the Ford F-150. Ford is slated to show off an electric version of the F-150 in the coming months.

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The truck’s biggest obstacle aside from manufacturing, distribution, and a repair network, is its reliance on hydrogen. The hydrogen distribution network, hindered by local and state laws and regulations, is not built out nationwide to support a large number of hydrogen vehicles in the marketplace. Currently, nearly all new hydrogen-powered vehicle sales are in California, which has a budding hydrogen refueling system.

Nikola has partnered with Heavy D from “Diesel Brothers” to design, build, and test the Badger. The partnership will follow the Badger build from concept through production.

“My audience, hard-core truck enthusiasts, has expected me to push the limits of truck power and capabilities since my beginnings,” said Heavy D, AKA Dave Sparks. “Being able to pull back the curtain of a production truck build is a rare opportunity where we can include the everyday truck owner to participate in the final outcome of design, exterior choices and performance specs. I wanted to be part of that story and now I have the opportunity with Nikola.”

“The Nikola Badger is a game changer. The program will help drive down the cost of the fuel-cell components on our semi-truck while accelerating the hydrogen station rollout. Giving customers the option to order a fuel-cell or battery electric version will ensure we drive the cost down for everyone across our lineup,” said Mark Russell, president of Nikola Corporation.

The Nikola Badger will make its first appearance at Nikola World 2020 in Phoenix. Prototypes will be available for select customers and media to ride in at Nikola World.