Nikola recalls delivered trucks for fire risk

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【Summary】Nikola Corp. is recalling all 209 battery-powered electric trucks due to a coolant leak causing fires. The company is suspending sales and contacting dealers and customers. The investigation found a "minor thermal incident" on one truck. No foul play is suspected.

FutureCar Staff Aug 15, 2023 4:27 PM PT

Nikola recalls delivered trucks for fire risk

Nikola Corp. has announced that it will be recalling all of its battery-powered electric trucks and suspending sales after a recent investigation revealed a coolant leak inside a battery pack as the cause of several fires. The company is taking this action as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of its customers.

According to a spokesperson for Nikola, there are currently 209 battery-powered electric trucks in the marketplace, including those with dealers and customers. The company is in the process of contacting all parties involved to inform them of the recall.

The preliminary findings of the investigation were confirmed on Thursday when a "minor thermal incident" occurred on one of the battery packs in a parked engineering-validation truck. Fortunately, no one was injured during the incident.

Nikola has stated that foul play or external factors are unlikely to have caused the incident. The company is actively working on providing a remedy to address the coolant leak issue and prevent any further incidents from occurring.

This investigation was initiated by Nikola in June after several trucks at its Phoenix, Arizona headquarters caught fire. Although the company initially suspected foul play, further examination revealed the coolant leak as the root cause. Recently, one of the damaged trucks at the Phoenix site re-ignited, prompting the company to take immediate action.