Nikola, the Phoenix-based firm that manufactures battery-powered and hydrogen-powered Class 8 rigs, is recalling 209 Tre BEV vehicles and has issued a short lived maintain on new gross sales.

The actions come after Exponent, a third-party investigator, revealed the preliminary findings of its investigation on the truck fireplace that occurred in June at Nikola’s headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona. Again then, it was reported that a number of Tre BEV vehicles caught fireplace whereas parked exterior, however the supply of the fireplace was nonetheless unknown, with the automobile producer saying it was suspecting foul play after a automobile was noticed across the premises near the time of the fireplace.

Nonetheless, that speculation is now useless, because the preliminary investigation findings present a coolant leak inside a single battery pack was the possible reason for the truck fireplace. Nikola says that the findings have been additional corroborated by a minor thermal incident that impacted one pack on an engineering validation truck parked on the firm’s plant in Coolidge, Arizona on August 10.

The Arizona firm is at the moment within the means of submitting the voluntary recall with the Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration (NHTSA), with gross sales quickly suspended till a decision is in place.

The zero-emissions truck startup says in an announcement {that a} single provider element throughout the battery pack was recognized because the doubtless supply of the coolant leak and that efforts are underway to offer a discipline treatment within the coming weeks.

“At Nikola we take security very critically,” stated Steve Girsky, Nikola’s CEO. “We acknowledged from the start that as quickly as our investigations have been concluded we would offer an replace, and we’ll proceed our transparency as we study extra.”

With this being stated, the affected autos can nonetheless be used, however Nikola recommends the next actions be taken instantly by all clients and sellers:

• Place the Essential Battery Disconnect (MBD) change into the “ON” place always to allow real-time automobile monitoring and security techniques operation;
• Take into account parking vehicles exterior to permit for over-the-air updates and higher connectivity with Fleet Command, Nikola’s truck monitoring system.

Moreover, the corporate’s hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, which are actually being produced with deliveries slated to start in Q3, are unaffected by the problem.

Nikola says that its software program techniques are being utilized in real-time to observe vehicles within the discipline and that up to now, simply two battery packs have skilled a thermal occasion, out of greater than 3,100 packs on vehicles manufactured so far, which quantities to lower than 0.07 p.c.

As all the time, we’d wish to know what you consider this, so head over to the feedback part under to provide us your ideas.