What happened
Electric semitruck maker Nikola (NKLA 7.23%) has been announcing more and more potential new customers recently, but one it highlighted on Friday is surely the one with the highest profile. The promotion with Anheuser-Busch Inbev leading into Super Bowl weekend has Nikola shares popping today. After jumping more than 7% earlier Monday, Nikola stock remained up 2.6% as of 3:53 p.m. ET.
So what
Since the beginning of this year, Nikola has announced purchase agreements with several trucking and logistics companies for the potential sale of up to a total of 250 of its zero-emissions trucks -- both its battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and its hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). This month, the company separately began a three-month pilot program with Anheuser-Busch (AB) highlighted by a delivery of AB's new zero-carb Bud Light Next beer using Nikola's zero-emission Tre FCEV.
Image source: Nikola.
Now what
Nikola's Tre semi brought the delivery of beer from the brewery to a distribution facility in Carson, CA where a battery electric truck from electric vehicle company, and AB partner, BYD picked it up for final delivery to local bars and retailers.
John Rogers, AB's chief sustainability and procurement officer, said of the promotion: "At Anheuser-Busch, we continuously strive to lead our industry by delivering our products in the most sustainable way possible -- including by investing in the cutting-edge technology of our logistics partners."
For Nikola, it provides a high profile potential customer to help in advertising its electric vehicles. Two of the company's FCEVs are being used in the pilot program within AB's Southern California network. Investors today are betting that it results in a viable use of Nikola's products and gives the company a mark of legitimacy with a well-established hauler of consumer products.
