Nikola Motor Company on Thursday unveiled the world's most fuel-efficient tractor trailer.
The prototype Nikola One electric semi-truck promises to be "the end of diesel engines," according to the automaker.
Employing a fully electric drivetrain powered by high-density lithium batteries, the One draws energy from a hydrogen fuel cell, giving the vehicle a range of 800 to 1,200 miles between fill-ups. Its custom electric motors also promise better aerodynamics, no idling, and battery charging via regenerative braking.
Inside the cab, a 21-inch touch screen controls most of the vehicle's functions including shipping information. A second "surround vision" 15-inch display allows the driver to see a real-time aerial view of their surroundings, eliminating pesky blind spots.
"There are many out there that wondered if we would deliver, but today we proudly show off the most advanced semi-truck ever built," Nikola founder and CEO Trevor Milton said in a statement.
Interested parties can reserve a Nikola One online with a $1,500 refundable deposit; the Salt Lake City-based manufacturer has already accepted reservations totalling nearly $3 billion in future orders.
The truck, expected to hit public roads by 2020, will be leased for between $5,000 and $7,000 per month, depending on selection options, a company spokeswoman told PCMag. The 72-month lease includes all hydrogen fuel, service, and maintenance.
Nikola Motor also announced plans to begin construction on a network of hydrogen fueling stations across North American in early 2018.
Milton tipped an advanced manufacturing facility "which will create thousands of new jobs," he said. Currently in discussions with several states, a final location will be determined in the first half of next year.
But Nikola Motor is not the only one focused on reducing a dependence on fossil fuels, advancing green energy, and revolutionizing the trucking industry.
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The mayors of four European cities this week vowed to eliminate diesel vehicles from their boroughs by 2025. The "unprecedented effort" by elected officials in Paris, Mexico City, Madrid, and Athens came during Thursday's Summit of Mayors of C40 in Mexico.
"Mayors have said climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face," Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris and president of the C40 Climate Leadership Group, said in a statement translated from French. "And today mayors say no to air pollution, [no] to diseases and death that effect especially the most vulnerable among us."
According to the group's blog, C40 is also working with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Clean Air and Climate Coalition (CCAC) on a global campaign to support cities that seek to reduce toxic emissions from transport, waste, and energy sectors.