Advancements in electric vehicles over the past five years have been impressive, with vehicle makers looking to infuse more style and power into those gas-preserving designs.
We’ve seen electric cars, SUVs and motorcycles with increasing torque and horsepower, so we should have known it wouldn’t take long for a super-powered electric off-road vehicle to make an appearance.
So, let me introduce you to Utah-based Nikola Powersports and their Zero four-seat utility task vehicle. The golf cart-sized Zero comes in two versions. The first produces 415 horsepower and 3,675 foot-pounds of torque. But why stop there when you get the upgraded version that churns out 555 horsepower and 4,900 foot-pounds of torque?
To put that in perspective, that's more power than a Mustang GT, more torque than an M1 Abrams tank, and the 0 to 60 mark of 3.9 seconds puts it on the same level as an Aston Martin DB11.
The Zero was designed for rock crawling, off-roading, and towing farm equipment, which accounts for the torque generation. The Zero places a motor at each wheel, with sensors and controls that measure torque and other performance indicators 30 times a second, controlling the output to keep the vehicle from flipping and from damaging the drivetrain.
Additional features include anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control and electric power steering.
Three battery sizes are offered – ranging from 75 to 125-kWh. That largest of which is bigger than anything Tesla offers and can deliver a range of up to 200 miles.
The company cites patented technologies that allow for generating all that power, which they’re more than happy to license to those looking to build electric cars and trucks. Nikola’s long-term goal is to challenge Tesla and others in the electric semi-truck market.
If you’re interested in a Zero, they should be available for purchase in January at a starting price of $35k.