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UTVUnderground.com EXCLUSIVE: NEW 2017 Nikola ZERO

Nikola began to hype and tease the release of their new electric powered UTV in may of this year. Nikola, founded in 2015, has grabbed the attention of the UTV and trucking industry with their concept drawings and wild claimed stats tied to their vehicles. While most of Nikola’s headlines have centered around their electric powered semi truck, we have seen numerous posts online from Nikola showing lots of billet parts and drawings for a new and powerful electric UTV. Up until today, many wondered if what Nikola was teasing would actually become a reality. Well, here it is! The introduction of the new 2017 Nikola ZERO, electric powered UTV.

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While the world searches for ways to reduce emissions and eliminate our dependency on natural resources off-roaders have remained committed to burning gas and kicking ass! We have seen a few OEM’s introduce electric powered UTVs, all have been centered around the utility genre. Not until now have we seen am electric powered UTV designed for the sport recreation market and if you back out everyone’s concerns or doubts about the actual electric power-train, the numbers, components, and design of the rest of the vehicle actually resemble a legit off-road machine. Billet CNC machined 6061 T6 Aluminum a-arms, on demand 4WD that you can shift into on the fly, 20″ of wheel travel both front and rear with FOX 3.0 coil overs, and all running on 32″ tires strait from the factory all sound like things the sport would love to have from the likes of Polaris or Can-Am.

Noe lets be honest. we too have our doubts about how well an electric vehicle will hold up to the abuse of off-roaders around the world. The ZERO seems like a very high-tech machine and with advanced electronics and design certainly comes potential for very tricky problems that could be very hard to solve while on the trail. But, we have to give benefit of the doubt to Nikola and trust that they have put a lot of time, R&D and effort into building not only a high-end UTV but also a reliable and durable one.

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We were able to catch up with Nikola Motor Co. President & CEO, Trevor Milton and ask him a few questions about the new ZERO.

UTVUG: When will the Nikola ZERO be available for purchase?
TM: Consumers can reserve the UTV online at : https://nikolamotor.com/ . Reservations holders will be picking out final options and colors by January 1 and orders will be delivered in the order they were reserved. Nikola will begin delivery by third quarter of next year. 
UTVUG: Will the ZERO be sold direct through Nikola Motor Co. or via a dealer network?
TM: While Nikola will take reservations, all sales will go through dealerships. All reservations will be passed to the nearest dealer for final options, financing, training and delivery. 
UTVUG: What is MSRP on the new Nikola ZERO?
YM: MSRP is $37,000 for the Nikola Zero 4 seater with most options included. Customers can add options on top of that or take options off for a price reduction. The base model will be somewhere around $32K. 
UTVUG: Are there options or any Nikola ZERO accessories that will be available in addition to the machine itself?
TM: Yes. Here is a list of options and standard features that will be available;
 
* 2 seater or 4 seater option
* 300 HP Software Version 
* 520 HP Software Version  (Race) 
* Cab heater (5kW) 
* Cab Air Conditioned Vests with quick disconnect (Military grade)
* Full Cab Enclosure
* Street Legal Package for states that allow it. 
* 15kW 220 Volt / 110 Volt Power Export 
* Tow hitch for farm and trailer use
* Integrated cooler
* Windshield with wiper
* Front Winch
* Rear Winch
* Standard Solar Roof (2 Miles Per Day Add) 
* 4kW Portable Solar UTV Charger Kit ( 50 Miles Per Day Add)
* 25kW Nikola Genset ( 3 Hour Charge Time)
* 2 year warranty (Standard)
* 4 Year Warranty ($3,000 Optional) 
 
Pricing to be announced soon along with dealership applications. 
UTVUG: How far can the ZERO go on a single charge both cruising and hauling the mail?
TM: Easy riding: Up to 200 miles. Hard Riding: Up to 100 Miles
 
UTVUG: Do you expect to introduce any other models of the ZERO like say a 2-seat version or limited edition with other options, colors, etc?
TM: Yes. We plan to have a 2 seater and 4 seater with multiple color options including CAMO! 
UTVUG: Is there anything else we should know or relay to the “MILLIONS AND MILLIONS” of consumers who will read this on UTVUnderground.com?
TM: We will be announcing arrive and drives in each state for the summer of 2017. Dealerships will also be announced by years end. Deliveries of the ZERO are set to begin 3rd quarter of next year (2017). First come first serve so get those orders in, we will be rewarding the first 1,000 reservations starting tomorrow with a FREE 4 year warranty! ( $3,000 value) Added to all existing reservation holders. 
We want to thank Nikola Motor Co. for giving UTVUnderground.com this exclusive. Stay tuned to UTVUnderground.com for more info on this hot new machine!
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ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN
Engine Type 400V AC Electric Motors
Battery Capacity 50kWh Lithium Ion Battery Pack
Transmission Single gear reduction at each wheel
Drive System Type On-Demand 4X4 or 2X4 at any speed
Engine Braking System (EBS) Baja style hubs and disc brakes with Motor Regenerative Braking
Active Descent Control Comes Standard
Cooling Refridgerant
Winches Front and Rear Superwinch. 3,500 lb Capacity Each
Steering Rack Howe 2.5 inch hydraulic
Control Arms Billet 6061-T6 aluminum Lower and Upper
Knuckle Billet 6061-T6 Aluminum
Shaft Custom high stroke CV Shaft design
SUSPENSION
Front Suspension 20″ of travel with 3.0″ FOX Podium Internal Bypass Shocks
Rear Suspension 20″ of travel with 3.0″ FOX Podium Internal Bypass Shocks
Shocks Fox Internal Bypass 3.0 Podium
BRAKES
Front/Rear Brakes 4-Wheel Hydraulic Disc w Triple-Bore Front & Rear Calipers
Parking Brake Park In Transmission
TIRES / WHEELS
Front Tires 32″
Rear Tires 32″
Wheels Cast Aluminum
Wheels Method Wide-Five Bead lock
Wheel End Assembly Jamar Micro Stub
DIMENSIONS
Ground Clearance 14.5″
Overall Vehicle Size (L x W x H) 163″ x 78.5″ x 74″
Payload Capacity 1,400 Lbs
Person Capacity 4
Wheelbase 118″
Estimated Dry Weight (pounds/kg) 1,900lbs / 862kg
FEATURES
Display Monitors (1) 10″ and (2) 7″ full color displays with optional backup camera
Cargo System Optional
Color / Graphics Blue, Green, Black, Camo
Electronic Power Steering Standard
Hitch Towing Rating 3,000 lbs.
Hitch Type Receiver that can take any ball size up to 2 5/16″
Lighting White LED, High/Low & Red LED Tail/Brake Lights
Unbraked Trailer Towing Capacity N.A.
Instrumentation Digital Gauge, Speedometer, Odometer, Tripmeter, Tachometer, Coolant Temperature, Volt Meter, Hour Meter, Service Indicator, Clock, Distance to Empty, Fuel Gauge, Hi-Temp Light, Seatbelt Reminder Light, 2 DC Outlets
Rear Tire Steering Standard
Solar Roof Top 600 watt
12V Battery Bank 360 Amp Hour 12V