Nikola Motor Company (Nikola), a developer of heavy-duty battery-electric vehicles (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) trucks, has partnered with German multinational engineering and technology company Bosch to license the latter’s technology for hydrogen fuel-cell power modules. The financial terms of the deal or the fuel-cell system volumes to be supplied were not disclosed.

The modules will be used to power its class 7 and 8 “Nikola Tre” and “Nikola Two” trucks, with an anticipated range of approximately 500 and 900 miles respectively.

Bosch will supply both fully-assembled fuel-cell modules as well as key components such as the fuel-cell stack, air compressor, and control unit, to Nikola to be assembled at Nikola’s own facility in Coolidge, Arizona. Nikola expects to begin assembling the units by 2023. The company also plans to utilize the same Bosch fuel-cell modules to power its Nikola Tre trucks manufactured at Nikola’s Ulm, Germany facility, for the EU launch of the truck.

Nikola plans to expand its one-million sq ft Coolidge facility by 50,000 sq ft, and add 50 more manufacturing jobs by 2023, to facilitate the assembly of the units. Nikola is also expanding its engineering and testing facilities at its headquarters in Phoenix, for validation and testing of the fuel-cells and vehicles.