Nikola truck recall: fire risk

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【Summary】Nikola Corp. is recalling all 209 battery-powered electric trucks due to a coolant leak causing recent fires. Sales are suspended and the company is contacting affected parties. No injuries were reported, and foul play is unlikely. Investigation and remedies are in progress.

FutureCar Staff Aug 25, 2023 5:18 PM PT

Nikola Corp. announced on Friday that it is recalling all of its battery-powered electric trucks and suspending sales. The decision comes after an investigation revealed a coolant leak inside a battery pack as the cause of recent fires.

A spokesperson for Nikola stated that there are a total of 209 battery-powered electric trucks in the marketplace, including those with dealers and customers. The company is in the process of contacting all parties affected by the recall.

The preliminary findings of the investigation were supported by a "minor thermal incident" on one pack of a parked engineering-validation truck. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

In a statement, Nikola confirmed that foul play or external factors were unlikely to have caused the incident. The company is now working on providing a remedy for the issue.

In June, when trucks at the company's Phoenix, Arizona headquarters caught fire, Nikola initially suspected foul play. One damaged truck, which was being monitored at the Phoenix site, reignited last month.