Electric heavy-truck startup Nikola announced on Wednesday that it has begun production of the battery-powered version of its electric Tre semitruck at its factory in Coolidge, Arizona.
The company plans to begin deliveries of the trucks in the second quarter, officials said during a presentation for analysts. Production of trucks for customers began on Monday.
Nikola shares were up about 5% in after-hours trading following the announcement.
The battery-electric version of the Tre is intended for shorter routes, with an estimated range of about 350 miles. Nikola expects to deliver between 300 and 500 of the trucks this year before ramping up production to a higher level in 2023.
Nikola plans to follow the battery-electric Tre with a version powered by a hydrogen fuel cell that will come with range of up to 500 miles, suitable for longer routes. The hydrogen Tre is on track to begin shipping late 2023, the company confirmed.