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Tesla Semi rival Nikola dubs future fleet as US’ ‘largest air purifiers’ amid hiring ramp
As the Tesla Semi continues to undergo real-world testing in preparation for its initial production in 2019, rival startup company Nikola Motor has claimed that its future fleet will be the United States’ “largest air purifiers,” thanks to their hydrogen fuel cell systems. Nikola’s announcement comes amidst the company’s current initiatives to ramp its hiring activities for its facilities in Arizona.
No stranger to bold declarations on Twitter, Nikola noted that due to its vehicles’ hydrogen fuel cell system, its fleet of trucks would be able to clean the air as they drive across America. In a later tweet, the trucking startup also assured its social media followers that it does not use methane to produce hydrogen. Rather, it utilizes a combination of solar, wind, and hydropower to make the hydrogen needed to power its upcoming fleet.
Why do we like hydrogen so much? The Nikola fleet will be one of the largest air purifiers in America one day. Imagine 500,000 Nikola trucks driving in cities across America sucking in dirty air and emitting nothing but clean water. #emissionsgameover #dieselisdead
— Nikola Corporation (@nikolamotor) October 24, 2018
A following tweet from the company also gave a first look at the fuel cell that would be used for the Nikola One sleeper semi-trailer, as well as the Nikola Two daycab. The trucking startup and budding Tesla Semi rival further noted that a Nikola truck would have two 120 kW systems, which should provide its trucks with a considerable degree of power.
What an awesome Nikola fuel cell. This is the 120kW running through tests. Each truck has 2 X 120 KW systems. Get ready for some big news coming in the following days as promised. This thing rocks and we can't wait for the world to see it in action. pic.twitter.com/rLKx8oF8pM
— Nikola Corporation (@nikolamotor) October 29, 2018
Recent reports have further revealed that Nikola is starting to ramp its hiring as it prepares to start producing its highly-anticipated hydrogen-electric truck. Since moving to the Phoenix area from Utah in July, the company has employed about 70 people in Chandler as it constructs its new headquarters in Phoenix. By the end of the year, Nikola aims to have 100 employees, and by the end of 2019, the trucking startup is seeking to employ about 200 workers.
Nikola Motor chief legal officer Britton Worthen noted in a statement to AZ Central that it expects to break ground on its planned 1 million-square-foot manufacturing plant in Coolidge, AZ, in about two years. At a talk on Friday, the Nikola executive pointed out to Pinal County economic development officials that the upcoming facility would be complete in about five years. Over this time, Nikola also plans to start the expansion of its hydrogen fueling stations, which the company expects will be the ‘largest energy consumer’ in the US within the next ten years.
Nikola Motors is no stranger to bold statements. Earlier this year, the company announced that it would be refunding all the reservations it received for the Nikola One and Nikola Two. Seemingly throwing shade at Tesla, the trucking startup further noted that it does not “use (customers’) money to operate (its) business.” Nikola has declared that it currently has $11 billion in pre-production orders as well.
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- The Nikola One
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- The Nikola One.
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- Credit: Nikola Motor
The Nikola One hydrogen-electric truck.
Over the past few months, though, Nikola started to adopt a more aggressive stance against Tesla. Earlier this year, the company filed a $2 billion lawsuit against the electric car maker, claiming that the Tesla Semi violated its design patents for the Nikola One. In its lawsuit, the trucking startup alleged that the Tesla Semi copied the Nikola One’s wraparound windshield, mid-entry door, front fenders, and the electric truck’s aerodynamic body. Furthermore, the trucking startup claimed that the similar designs of the Semi and the One puts its reputation at risk, since Tesla has had “problems with its batteries starting fires and its autonomous features causing fatal accidents.”
Nikola’s patent lawsuit met a notable roadblock in August, though, as the US Patent Office granted Tesla its own design patents for the Tesla Semi, with the US patent examiner even using the Nikola One as a comparison point for the all-electric long-hauler. Thus, if Nikola chooses to pursue its case against Tesla, it would have to prove that the US patent examiner made a mistake. Such a feat is very challenging to accomplish.
Its legal moves against Tesla aside, Nikola is nonetheless setting the stage of a grand, three-day event in April 2019, which would feature the unveiling of the pre-production models of its hydrogen-electric trucks. A 2.3-megawatt hydrogen fueling station, which would serve as a model for the company’s upcoming network of H2 refilling stations, is also expected to be unveiled.
Tesla analyst Gary Black of The Future Fund claims that the company is making a big mistake getting rid of the Model S and Model X. Instead, he believes another vehicle within the company’s lineup should be discontinued: the Cybertruck.
Black divested The Future Fund from all Tesla holdings last year, but he still covers the stock as an analyst as it falls in the technology and autonomy sectors, which he covers.
In a new comment on Thursday, Black said the Cybertruck should be the vehicle Tesla gets rid of due to the negatives it has drawn to the company.
The Cybertruck is also selling in an underwhelming fashion considering the production capacity Tesla has set aside for it. It’s worth noting it is still the best-selling electric pickup on the market, and it has outlasted other EV truck projects as other manufacturers are receding their efforts.
Black said:
“IMHO it’s a mistake to keep Tesla Cybertruck which has negative brand equity and sold 10,000 units last year, and discontinue S/X which have strong repeat brand loyalty and together sold 30K units and are highly profitable. Why not discontinue CT and covert S/X to be fully autonomous?”
IMHO it’s a mistake to keep $TSLA Cybertruck which has negative brand equity and sold 10,000 units last year, and discontinue S/X which have strong repeat brand loyalty and together sold 30K units and are highly profitable. Why not discontinue CT and covert S/X to be fully…
— Gary Black (@garyblack00) January 29, 2026
On Wednesday, CEO Elon Musk confirmed that Tesla planned to transition Model S and Model X production lines at the Fremont Factory to handle manufacturing efforts of the Optimus Gen 3 robot.
Musk said that it was time to wind down the S and X programs “with an honorable discharge,” also noting that the two cars are not major contributors to Tesla’s mission any longer, as its automotive division is more focused on autonomy, which will be handled by Model 3, Model Y, and Cybercab.
Tesla begins Cybertruck deliveries in a new region for the first time
The news has drawn conflicting perspectives, with many Tesla fans upset about the decision, especially as it ends the production of the largest car in the company’s lineup. Tesla’s focus is on smaller ride-sharing vehicles, especially as the vast majority of rides consist of two or fewer passengers.
The S and X do not fit in these plans.
Nevertheless, the Cybertruck fits in Tesla’s future plans. Musk said the pickup will be needed for the transportation of local goods. Musk also said Cybertruck would be transitioned to an autonomous line.
In a groundbreaking new report from Reuters, SpaceX is reportedly discussing merger possibilities with xAI ahead of the space exploration company’s plans to IPO later this year, in what would be a blockbuster move.
The outlet said it would combine rockets and Starlink satellites, as well as the X social media platform and AI project Grok under one roof. The report cites “a person briefed on the matter and two recent company filings seen by Reuters.”
Musk, nor SpaceX or xAI, have commented on the report, so, as of now, it is unconfirmed.
With that being said, the proposed merger would bring shares of xAI in exchange for shares of SpaceX. Both companies were registered in Nevada to expedite the transaction, according to the report.
On January 21, both entities were registered in Nevada. The report continues:
“One of them, a limited liability company, lists SpaceX and Bret Johnsen, the company’s chief financial officer, as managing members, while the other lists Johnsen as the company’s only officer, the filings show.”
The source also stated that some xAI executives could be given the option to receive cash in lieu of SpaceX stock. No agreement has been reached, nothing has been signed, and the timing and structure, as well as other important details, have not been finalized.
SpaceX is valued at $800 billion and is the most valuable privately held company, while xAI is valued at $230 billion as of November. SpaceX could be going public later this year, as Musk has said as recently as December that the company would offer its stock publicly.
The plans could help move along plans for large-scale data centers in space, something Musk has discussed on several occasions over the past few months.
At the World Economic Forum last week, Musk said:
“It’s a no-brainer for building solar-powered AI data centers in space, because as I mentioned, it’s also very cold in space. The net effect is that the lowest cost place to put AI will be space and that will be true within two to three years, three at the latest.”
He also said on X that “the most important thing in the next 3-4 years is data centers in space.”
If the report is true and the two companies end up coming together, it would not be the first time Musk’s companies have ended up coming together. He used Tesla stock to purchase SolarCity back in 2016. Last year, X became part of xAI in a share swap.
Tesla has announced it has hit a major milestone with Full Self-Driving subscriptions, shortly after it said it would exclusively offer the suite without the option to purchase it outright.
Tesla announced on Wednesday during its Q4 Earnings Call for 2025 that it had officially eclipsed the one million subscription mark for its Full Self-Driving suite. This represented a 38 percent increase year-over-year.
This is up from the roughly 800,000 active subscriptions it reported last year. The company has seen significant increases in FSD adoption over the past few years, as in 2021, it reported just 400,000. In 2022, it was up to 500,000 and, one year later, it had eclipsed 600,000.
NEWS: For the first time, Tesla has revealed how many people are subscribed or have purchased FSD (Supervised).
Active FSD Subscriptions:
• 2025: 1.1 million
• 2024: 800K
• 2023: 600K
• 2022: 500K
• 2021: 400K pic.twitter.com/KVtnyANWcs— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) January 28, 2026
In mid-January, CEO Elon Musk announced that the company would transition away from giving the option to purchase the Full Self-Driving suite outright, opting for the subscription program exclusively.
Musk said on X:
“Tesla will stop selling FSD after Feb 14. FSD will only be available as a monthly subscription thereafter.”
The move intends to streamline the Full Self-Driving purchase option, and gives Tesla more control over its revenue, and closes off the ability to buy it outright for a bargain when Musk has said its value could be close to $100,000 when it reaches full autonomy.
It also caters to Musk’s newest compensation package. One tranche requires Tesla to achieve 10 million active FSD subscriptions, and now that it has reached one million, it is already seeing some growth.
The strategy that Tesla will use to achieve this lofty goal is still under wraps. The most ideal solution would be to offer a less expensive version of the suite, which is not likely considering the company is increasing its capabilities, and it is becoming more robust.
Tesla is shifting FSD to a subscription-only model, confirms Elon Musk
Currently, Tesla’s FSD subscription price is $99 per month, but Musk said this price will increase, which seems counterintuitive to its goal of increasing the take rate. With that being said, it will be interesting to see what Tesla does to navigate growth while offering a robust FSD suite.
Tesla analyst claims another vehicle, not Model S and X, should be discontinued
SpaceX reportedly discussing merger with xAI ahead of blockbuster IPO
