Salt Lake City - Nikola Powersports Company has acquired Free Form Factory Inc., www.Ridefreeform.com, to expand its reach to include watercraft and UTVs.
Based in Sacramento, CA, Free Form Factory designed electric watercraft and proprietary manufacturing technology. Jordan Darling, founder and CEO of Free Form Factory, will be transitioning to vice president of Nikola Powersports and will be responsible for both the watercraft and UTV lineup.
“By April 2018, Nikola will have a production intent sit down personal watercraft (PWC) that we believe will outperform the top internal combustion versions on the water and provide up to a five-hour ride time with zero emissions and far less noise,” said Trevor Milton, Nikola Motors CEO.
“Nikola Powersports customers can spend the entire day at the lake without polluting the water, while having the ultimate fun. By using the Nikola Zero UTV technology, we have shaved years off the development program for this new PWC and will allow it to fast charge in as little as 30 minutes,” added Milton.
Nikola Zero
The prototype 107 kWh Nikola Zero UTV recently completed a series of exercises with the Marines at Camp Pendleton in California. The Zero UTV towed more than 4,000 lbs, fit onboard the Marines’ helicopter transport, climbed a 45 percent grade with four passengers, towed a 120mm mortar, performed a full stop and start on a 35 percent grade and ran through a series of tests.
In testing, the batteries only showed a three-degree increase in heating during testing, a validation of Nikola’s proprietary thermal management system.
A ride and drive program for the Nikola Zero UTV is slated for first quarter of 2018. The company plans to have 25 Nikola Zeros on site for the program.
For more information, visit nikolamotor.com.
