Nikola (NKLA) stock performance

JumpingIntoEV said:
It seems Nikola, unlike Tesla, and other EV startups, has next to no technology of their own? I wish them well and it would be a world changer if hydrogen can become the fuel of the future with capturing, storing and delivering hydrogen replacing oil and gas. I love my Kona Electric, but hydrogen would cure the few shortcomings the car has - limited range (250 miles) and recharging time. The last shortcoming, a lack of many Level 1 charging stations while traveling, could be as big of an issue for hydrogen, until when/if infrastructure gets built (though Nikola is professing to do that as part of their plan...time will tell).
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The average person doesn't drive 250 miles/400 km in a week, let alone on a single charge. Obviously there are some outliers, but the fact that the average person does less mileage than that is clear. I see the challenge as convincing the average ICE owner that they don't drive as much as they think they do, and that it's better to own the perfect "daily driver" and rent a car for the rare exceptional situations.

I agree that it would be awesome if there was level 1 charging in every parking spot in the world, it would be an inexpensive way of building out massive infrastructure quickly. There are some parts of the world where that is pretty common already, namely colder climates where block heaters are a frequent feature. My understanding is that they're rolling out charging in some European countries (Germany, I think) by putting power outlets on the lamp poles and other fixtures near street parking, so I think there's a lot of movement in this direction. Level 1 charging may be slow, but if you're level 1 charging everywhere and every time you stop somewhere, it would add up over the course of the day.

Hydrogen will remain a non-starter, I suspect. It's not as green as battery electric, it's not as cheap as ICE, and it's unlikely to ever get as convenient as either of them. The potential is there, but I think that potential will remain forever unrealized.
 
My mistake in my post: I meant to say a lack of Level 3 Charging is an issue.

I have never had much of a problem finding Level 1 or 2 charging for my Kona. They are great for overnight charging. But for a longer drives, or for business users who need to get from one point to another and to the next point at a productive pace, Level 1 and 2 charging has little little to no value beyond overnight charging.

For commercial and business driving (semis, pickups, delivery trucks and idiots like me who work in sales and can drive 35,000 to 40,000 miles a year), fast charging is key. Outside of large metro areas, if you don't have a Tesla, Level 3 charging availability can be very limited (even Buffalo with a metro area of close around 750,000 people has only 1, non-Tesla, about a mile off an expressway). And that is more the market Nikola is going for with hydrogren. Fewer vehicles needed, but where a LOT of carbon and pollution in general can be reduced.

As to green-ness? I think more study is needed to determine the pros and cons and effects of the supply chain for both EV and H. EVs are much better for the air/atmosphere than ICE, but there are concerns about the measures needed to procure lithium for batteries, and what to do with the toxic materials in used batteries leaching in landfills. Hydrogen is wildly plentiful and its exhaust is clean water vapor, but I do not know whether collecting/purifying/delivering it is very green.

I'm just thrilled that so many companies are working on products. It gives me hope that there will not be a need for anyone to choose an ICE vehicle in the near future.
 
JumpingIntoEV said:
My mistake in my post: I meant to say a lack of Level 3 Charging is an issue.

I have never had much of a problem finding Level 1 or 2 charging for my Kona. They are great for overnight charging. But for a longer drives, or for business users who need to get from one point to another and to the next point at a productive pace, Level 1 and 2 charging has little little to no value beyond overnight charging.

For commercial and business driving (semis, pickups, delivery trucks and idiots like me who work in sales and can drive 35,000 to 40,000 miles a year), fast charging is key. Outside of large metro areas, if you don't have a Tesla, Level 3 charging availability can be very limited (even Buffalo with a metro area of close around 750,000 people has only 1, non-Tesla, about a mile off an expressway).
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For sure, for some people nothing but fast charing will do. But that's the exception, not the rule. Even level-1 charging adds up if you're level-1 charging everywhere you stop. At a restaurant for an hour or two? At work for 8 hours? At the mall for an hour or more? Hanging out with friends for 4 hours? If it was constant (when the car is parked), it would really add up. That's the idea behind putting level-1 charging all over the place, such as in parking lots, at the base of light poles, etc., as some have advanced, because the infrastructure would be crazy cheap to deploy. Even someone like yourself, the time you need to spend DC fast charging would be reduced if you were level-1 charging everywhere else, including during those however-many-hour business meetings you speak of. :)

As for transport trucks, I'm curious to see how Wal-Mart Canada is going to do it with the hundreds of Tesla Semis they've ordered. DC fast charging the trucks while they're in the loading docks being loaded and/or unloaded? That process probably takes a fair chunk of time.

And that is more the market Nikola is going for with hydrogren. Fewer vehicles needed, but where a LOT of carbon and pollution in general can be reduced.

As to green-ness? I think more study is needed to determine the pros and cons and effects of the supply chain for both EV and H. EVs are much better for the air/atmosphere than ICE, but there are concerns about the measures needed to procure lithium for batteries, and what to do with the toxic materials in used batteries leaching in landfills. Hydrogen is wildly plentiful and its exhaust is clean water vapor, but I do not know whether collecting/purifying/delivering it is very green.

I'm just thrilled that so many companies are working on products. It gives me hope that there will not be a need for anyone to choose an ICE vehicle in the near future.
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The problem with hydrogen is that it's abundant in the universe, but on Earth it's mostly in the upper atmosphere. So down here on the ground, to get hydrogen you have to generate it (such as splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen), then you have to process the hydrogen into a form that can be stored and put into a car, then you have to do another process in the car to power it. There's loss at every stage, and it's far less energy efficient than battery electric. Yes batteries aren't perfect, but they can last the life of the car. After that, car batteries aren't generally being dumped into landfill, they can be recycled or refurbished for second lives in houses or utilities.

I'd take hydrogen over ICE any day, but as yet neither's as green as battery electric.
 
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Hi, your friendly neighborhood moderator here.

Please use this thread to discuss Nikola stock and its movements. Understandably, the subject of hydrogen as a fuel can arise here, but there are other threads and sub-forums where we can discuss hydrogen as an energy source in more depth. Thanks!
 
Domenick said:
Hi, your friendly neighborhood moderator here.

Please use this thread to discuss Nikola stock and its movements. Understandably, the subject of hydrogen as a fuel can arise here, but there are other threads and sub-forums where we can discuss hydrogen as an energy source in more depth. Thanks!
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Good point Domenick, thanks for the reminder.

Back on topic. I don't understand why their stock is even as high as it is. What is Nikola bringing to the table? Their recent deal with GM has GM providing battery technology, hydrogen fuel cell technology, and has GM assembling the vehicles. What is Nikola bringing to the table?
 
Been a while since we checked in with Nikola and now there is some significant news that's impacted the company's stock price. Basically, the Nikola Badger electric pickup truck has been cancelled, GM is not investing in the company but has, instead, entered into a non-binding MoU (memorandum of understanding) to supply Nikola with its Hydrotec fuel-cell technology. It's also still considering using GM's Ultium batteries.

Because there is no investment from GM, Nikola will also have to come up with the money up front to pay for what it wants to purchase. That could make the path forward difficult for the start up.

All of this turmoil has been reflected by the share price, which is currently in decline and presently sits at just above $17.00.
Nikola-quote.jpg
 
Looks like they are finally done.
https://electrek.co/2025/03/08/it-j...-as-massive-recall-follows-bankruptcy-filing/

Was all a big fraud. And amazing how CNBC and others all hyped the company back then.
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/18/nikola-founder-trevor-milton-sentencing-fraud-charges.html

I watched the full 1 hour episode on CNBC's American Greed. Amazing that he got away with it this long. Have to admit, they had me fooled for a while, too.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1474988776356104
Here is the first 10 min of it.
 
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