Nikola Stops Work on Electric Watercraft and ATV Projects (theverge.com) 22
Zero-emission trucking company Nikola has shuttered its so-called Powersports division and is pausing work on an electric personal watercraft and off-road vehicle first announced in April 2019. From a report: Nikola stopped work on the projects as part of a larger push to focus on getting its first hydrogen-powered truck out the door, following a number of stumbles in 2020. "We still own the NZT and WAV rights and have put the projects on pause. We may consider moving forward with them at a later time," a spokesperson tells The Verge. "Right now we are focusing on commercial trucking and hydrogen infrastructure." Nikola started pursuing an electric watercraft back in 2017 after it bought up one of the more promising startups working on the idea. The off-road vehicle was a hybrid of sorts, mixing dune buggy styling with the kinds of comforts found in passenger cars, like air conditioning. Nikola was promising the so-called NZT vehicle would get 590 horsepower and 150 miles of range. It was supposed to come to market this year at a starting price of $80,000.
Wheres WSB when you need em? (Score:1)
It's not about stock. (Score:2)
At this point it's all about copper. [youtu.be]
They hit a technical issue (Score:5, Funny)
They couldn't find a slope on the water to slide their craft off on.
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They couldn't find a slope on the water to slide their craft off on.
Niagara Falls? It would be symbolic!
Rolling in his grave (Score:3, Funny)
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Nikola Tesla was screwed over by everyone even when he was alive. When he died they only had one less reason to stop.
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Granted if his wireless electric transmission worked well and effectively. It would solve a lot of problems with electric cars, mobile computers, and a lot of other things as well.
Unfortunately the media gives us the wrong impression of a scientist. As someone who can just come up with a wonderful device out of nowhere. While real scientist often the best scientists may spend their lives researching a dead end idea, because if proven it can solve a lot of problems.
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Unfortunately the media gives us the wrong impression of a scientist. As someone who can just come up with a wonderful device out of nowhere.
The schematic for practical creation of AC power came to Tesla in a vision during a stroll on the beach, while reciting poetry IIRC. Tesla wasn't just "a scientist". He was special.
Most science probably comes from normal people doing things the hard way, I'm not trying to detract from your statement. But some people have minds which work differently from others...
Re: Rolling in his grave (Score:2)
"There is a thin line between genius and insanity - I have erased this line."
At the end of Teslas life he wanted to marry a pigeon and spoke of the birds having laser eyes. Keeping these people sane enough to be of value to society while respecting their individuality seems to be the lesson I see the most from Tesla's life. This is the tragedy that befalls people like Tesla, Turing, and maybe even comparably Aaron Swartz.
Interestingly enough we now know there is a protein with quantum properties involved w
Re:Rolling in his grave (Score:4, Interesting)
I think he might be slightly annoyed that it took 78 years after his death for his name to get some recognition. But I think he would actually be kinda happy that his name is related to the marketing of High-Tech new products, while the Name Edison is associated to light bulbs that no one wants anymore (except for the extreme right, because for some reason light bulbs are a political statement), and basically considered old fashion tech.
Granted there is a big difference between the Companies of Tesla and Nikola, basicly the fact that one company actually produces a product, while the other just scams people out of its money. So I figure that will balance his grave spinning.
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I think that he is waiting for his licensing payments from Westinghouse to build a remotely powered cyborg body and lay his enemies to waste
Powersports (Score:1)
Nikola has shuttered its so-called Powersports division
There were rumors they were going to be closing their Watersports division, but they were just taking the piss.
Nikola is dead (Score:2)
Hyogen Fuel cells not good for consumer devices (Score:2)
From Light Trucks, Cars, and recreational vehicles a large battery pack is probably going to be a lot better than a Fuel Cell.
It is primarily due to the fact, that consumer devices you probably would prefer to charge up at home. This is something that a lot of electric car owners today like. While they may get 200 usable miles from their electric car, for 90% of their driving they charge up at home, and leave on a "full tank".
This is useful because the Electric Charging Infrastructure needed will not have
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The thing about heavy trucks is that they make battery swaps practical. The fuel tanks on diesel trucks hang off the outside of the frame in a highly accessible location. It would be trivial to roll up on the side of a truck with a fork lift, take off an old pack and stow it, then roll up again with a charged pack.
The only really good thing about fuel cells is that you only need a relatively small battery, and right now we can't make enough batteries to fill potential demand for EVs. So fuel cells may have
$80K for an electric ATV?!? (Score:2)
Jeez, a fully loaded Polaris RZR is around $20K. Who are they trying to kid?