Benzinga | Dec 22, 2021 08:48AM EST

Heniff Transportation Signs LOI With Intent To Purchase 100 Zero-Emission Trucks From Thompson Truck Centers And Nikola; Financial Details Not Disclosed

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Heniff Transportation Systems, LLC has reached an agreement to initially acquire 10 Nikola Tre BEV trucks from Thompson Truck Centers, a member of the Nikola Corporation (NASDAQ:NKLA) sales and service dealer network. Nikola is a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty commercial battery-electric vehicles (BEV), fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV) and energy infrastructure solutions.

The agreement between Heniff Transportation and Thompson Truck Centers is a fleet-as-a-service model where Thompson will provide the sales, service, maintenance, and energy infrastructure required to operate the Nikola Tre BEV trucks. Deliveries are expected to commence first half of 2022.

Upon the successful initial deployment of 10 units into their bulk transport operation, Heniff and Thompson have agreed to pursue the placement of an additional 90 trucks into Heniff's fleet.

Heniff is a family of companies recognized as a leader in liquid bulk transportation, rail transloading, ISO depot operations, tank cleaning, and related maintenance. With nearly 100 locations connected nationwide and over 2,000 tractors, their integrated freight network is unparalleled.

"After visiting with Nikola's leadership team, touring the new Coolidge, Arizona manufacturing facility, and taking a test ride in the Nikola Tre BEV, we were impressed by the power, performance, engineering, and quality of the truck," said Bob Heniff, CEO of Heniff Transportation. "We see this partnership with Nikola and Thompson as a means to accelerate our strategy for electrification of our fleet and as a positive benefit for our customers, communities, employees, and stakeholders."

"With the rapid regulatory changes around electric vehicles, it is important for Thompson to deliver innovative products to our customers that will meet the new standards of zero-emissions for transportation," states Mark McDonell, COO of Thompson Machinery. "This partnership with Heniff Transportation is an exciting first step in their journey to add zero-emission vehicles in their fleet."

"The Nikola dealer network is a key component to delivering innovative zero-emissions products to our customers," explained Nikola Energy and Commercial President, Pablo Koziner. "Thompson will provide the sales, parts, and service solutions for the Nikola trucks purchased by Heniff, and also the related electric vehicle charging infrastructure. This agreement is intended to be a true turnkey solution, with the goal for Heniff Transportation to realize zero-emissions transportation with first-class dealer support."