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Nikola can ‘easily’ do all-electric trucks like Tesla Semi, says exec in interview
New Nikola Motor president Mark Russell recently provided some updates on the company’s efforts to establish its hydrogen refueling stations across the United States, as well as his thoughts about rivals like the Tesla Semi and other hybrid trucks like the modified Kenworth-Toyota T680 long-hauler that debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last January.
Russell, who used to serve as Worthington Industries’ president and chief operating officer, notes that Nikola is notably different from other ventures that he had been involved with in the past, thanks in part to the trucking startup’s pace. “We get so much done; it’s just dizzying,” he said.
Nikola Motor had changed directions several times over the past years. At one point, the company had announced plans for the production of a truck powered by hydrogen and natural gas, before shifting to an initiative aimed at developing hybrid battery-electric and fuel cell hydrogen long-haulers. Most recently, Nikola announced that it would also be producing battery-electric trucks, placing its vehicles in even more direct competition with the Tesla Semi, a vehicle that is expected to begin production late 2019 or sometime next year.
Speaking with trucking publication FreightWaves, Russell explained that the Tesla Semi would not be competing with its long-haul vehicles like the Nikola One, due to the Semi’s limited battery range. The Tesla Semi is offered at 300-mile and 500-mile variants, though Elon Musk has teased that improvements to the vehicle’s design will place the truck’s range closer to 600 miles per charge. This is impressive for a pure-electric truck, but still less than the range of the hydrogen-powered Nikola One, which is expected to have a range of over 1,000 miles. The Nikola President notes that the Tesla Semi is rather simple, and it is a vehicle that the trucking startup could easily do.
“Their truck is our truck with a bigger battery, and we can easily do that. It Nikola’s recent electric vehicle announcement is not as big a deal as people are making it out to be. It’s not a strategy shift. Our model is still attacking the long haul market. We will sell battery electric vehicles based on the same design, and they’ll be great vehicles for those applications. If Tesla can produce their truck and meet the specs, we’ll be competing with them in that market. Tesla doesn’t have anything to compete with us in long-haul,” he said.
Russell also asserted that Nikola would be producing all its hydrogen from renewable resources. The exec further added that the use of hydrogen, provided that it is drawn from renewable energy, is even more environmentally-friendly than the use of batteries to store energy.
“That’s the problem with renewables; they only generate when the wind blows, or the sun shines, and what do you do with them when you don’t need it? You have to store it. One solution is to buy expensive batteries that consume commodities scarce on this planet and then have hazardous waste when they are done. Or you can make hydrogen. Once you’ve made hydrogen and stored it, it can sit there forever. It doesn’t degrade. It doesn’t leak. And when you turn it back into electricity, it becomes water. It’s an elegant, beautiful, simple solution for storing energy, so much better than batteries. You break down water; you put it back together,” he said.
With regards to other hybrid trucks that have been unveiled recently, such as the modified Kenworth-Toyota T680 long-hauler that debuted at the CES, Russell proved mostly unimpressed, stating that such projects are more like a Frankenstein monster that’s cobbled together from existing components. The executive explained that Nikola’s trucks would be designed from the ground up to be environmentally-friendly vehicles, and this is something that will make them truly unique.
Nikola has a tendency to be quite protective of its vehicles. Last year, the trucking startup filed a lawsuit against Tesla claiming that the Semi’s design was copied from the Nikola One. Neither Nikola nor Tesla has issued an official update about the case so far. Nikola Motor is currently preparing for its Nikola World Exhibition this coming April 16-17, where the company is expected to showcase its vehicles like the Nikola Two daycab and the Nikola Tre, a vehicle designed for European markets.
The Tesla Semi was spotted mounted with ground truth validation equipment as the company nears its looming launch. The Semi is Tesla’s Class 8 all-electric truck, and has been utilized in its earlier stages by many companies like PepsiCo. and Frito-Lay, who have been using it in a pilot program.
The Semi was spotted in Sunnyvale, California, and sports a typical ground truth validation unit that Tesla routinely uses on its vehicles. Ground truth validation is essentially the process of training supervised algorithms to ensure they can perform reliably. Tesla typically performs this on vehicles that are being released soon:
Spotted the new semi adorned with ground truthing equipment. Haven’t seen anyone post this so figured I’d share.
The future is autonomous!!@SawyerMerritt @wholemars pic.twitter.com/qkPDHPUQZ6
— Danny (@dannywinner1) June 21, 2026
The Semi being spotted with this type of validation rig is important because it means the company is working on solidifying a Full Self-Driving model for its commercial vehicle offering. This would be a massive development for not only Tesla but also the logistics industry as a whole.
There are strict regulations on driving hours for commercial truck drivers, and autonomy is a way to potentially combat these issues. FSD is already a widely effective way that owners of typical passenger vehicles take stress out of travel. Even launching a semi-autonomous platform for truck drivers to use to increase safety, reduce fatigue, and increase productivity would be a huge development.
Tesla Semi gets strange-but-understandable comparison from Jay Leno
The Semi has already proven to be an ideal solution for companies that use commercial logistics. It has increased efficiency and reduced operating costs for many companies that have been able to use it in pilot programs.
There are expected to be some bumps along the way. Tesla saw some challenges with FSD on the Cybertruck, as it had never had a vehicle with cameras at that height, so some of the features with FSD were not immediately available. Just a week ago, Tesla launched Actually Smart Summon (ASS) for Cybertruck, nearly three years after the vehicle was first delivered to customers.
President Donald Trump unveiled an upgraded Boeing 747-8 at Joint Base Andrews on June 19, 2026, describing the Qatar-gifted aircraft as an interim Air Force One equipped with advanced communications systems, including Starlink, Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellite internet service.
The plane, valued at around $400 million and modified for presidential use, serves as a bridge until the delayed VC-25B replacements arrive. Trump highlighted its luxury features and new technology during remarks to service members.
Trump stated:
“We have communication equipment up there that nobody’s ever seen before. It’s the highest level and, uh, including Starlink. My friend Elon is going to be very happy, but, uh, Starlink and we have, uh, four or five different sets of double and triple communications like people haven’t seen.”
He added:
“And it represents what can happen with hard work, innovation, and aggressive timelines because we did this quickly and yet there’s never been communication like is on this plane.”
🚨 President Trump confirmed today that the new Air Force One is equipped with Starlink:
“We have communication equipment up there that nobody’s ever seen before, it’s the highest level and including Starlink…my friend Elon is going to be very happy.” pic.twitter.com/IhkDmtr5hL
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 20, 2026
The aircraft features a redesigned red, white, and blue livery and has been outfitted with Starlink satellite connectivity alongside other secure systems.
Trump praised the plane’s uniqueness, calling it among the world’s most luxurious. The gift from Qatar and subsequent modifications have drawn attention, with the jet positioned as a solution for presidential travel. It is expected to support operations, including potential ceremonial roles such as Fourth of July flyovers.
The event marked the formal introduction of the converted jet, which will help maintain capabilities while the primary Air Force One fleet undergoes modernization. Defense observers note the inclusion of commercial satellite technology like Starlink as part of efforts to ensure resilient communications, crucial to keep the country running as the President is in the sky.
President Trump’s comments underscored appreciation for rapid upgrades and innovation in equipping the aircraft. The plane remains a U.S. government asset and is slated for eventual transfer related to presidential library purposes after its service.
Tesla just gave what is perhaps its biggest signal yet that the launch of the Cybercab, its autonomous ride-hailing-geared car, is imminent.
The Cybercab has been spotted outside of Gigafactory Texas in massive numbers over the past few days, with hundreds of units being stored on property just days after the vehicle received a Certificate of Conformity from the EPA.
Today, things were a bit different.
Cybercabs spotted on Giga Texas property today had an addition: a Cybercab decal on the side, reminiscent of the “Robotaxi” ones that were placed on Model Ys just as the company launched its ride-sharing platform about a year ago.
Giga Texas drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer noticed the change today:
Tesla Cybercabs are now getting “Cybercab” logos on the side of them!
Tesla did the same with Model Ys that were given “Robotaxi” logos: https://t.co/DanANtw1m7 pic.twitter.com/FqOhH0S9Ks
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 19, 2026
Tesla could be signaling that the Cybercab is preparing to enter the Robotaxi fleet in the coming weeks or months with this move. It seems more symbolic than anything; Tesla is ready to throw Cybercabs in the ride-hailing platform just as it did with Model Ys last year.
The addition of the Certificate of Conformity awarded to the Cybercab is another major factor working to Tesla’s advantage. The company now has permission from the EPA to allow the vehicle to operate on public roads and enter the chain of commerce. It’s officially street legal.
Tesla Cybercab specs revealed: range, curb weight, range ratings, and more
The big question that remains is whether Tesla will be able to operate the car without a safety monitor, especially considering it plans to put the car out there without a steering wheel or pedals. With the Cybercab only having a seating capacity of two, it is hard to believe Tesla will even consider putting a Safety Monitor in the car.
It did recently self-certify as Level 4 and has the ability to operate driverless vehicles in the State of Texas under a law that took effect on May 28. You can read more about that here:
Tesla’s Robotaxi dreams just took a massive step toward reality
We’d imagine Cybercabs will be on the roads as soon as July, but August will likely be a better estimate of when the car will be entered into the Cybercab fleet. It all depends at where Tesla is, as they’ve truly prioritized safety with the rollout of the Robotaxi platform.
Tesla Semi spotted with ground truth validation equipment as launch looms
President Trump touts new Air Force One with Musk technology
