Truck Yeah!

Shimmering heat waves ripple across the asphalt of the test and engineering center situated on the edge of the Phoenix Sonoran Preserve in Arizona. Christian Appel briefly removes his baseball cap to wipe the sweat from his brow. He fixes his gaze on the horizon, where the outline of a snow-white truck is just about visible. The team around him is busy adjusting settings, calibrating equipment, and calling out the latest status updates. “OK, let’s get the truck back on the track,” Appel says into his radio. This is the fifth time they have carried out the procedure today. It’s all about fine-tuning. Soon everything will be exactly right: the control system, fuel cell, and steering. Soon it will be showtime.

As customer chief engineer, Appel is responsible for the technical coordination of the Bosch components in the truck known as Nikola Two. There are plenty of those components: electric motors for the e-axle, the vehicle control unit, and key components of the hydrogen fuel cell. What’s more, the new Bosch mirror camera system has replaced the truck’s side-view mirrors, and the Bosch Perfectly Keyless system means truck drivers no longer have to search for their keys.

Appel’s biggest challenge is the sheer volume of different challenges thrown up by the project. “We’re not just improving a vehicle that has already been launched, but rather working with the customer to essentially redefine truck driving from scratch. We’re helping a startup turn its vision into reality,” Appel says. And Bosch also benefits, he explains: “Our in-depth knowledge of a powertrain technology that could revolutionize freight haulage is giving us a competitive edge.”

But Appel’s work as an engineer involves more than just developing truck components: “Networking is really the key to what I do. I talk to customers and pass on their requirements to the relevant Bosch colleagues,” he says. He utilizes a worldwide network. Over 200 associates from six divisions worked on the development of the truck. “Whether automated, connected, or electrified — we have the right experts who can provide support. There aren’t many companies that can offer that,” Appel says. What he prizes above all is the sense of team spirit: “The teamwork on the project is fantastic. Everyone is doing the best they can to help get a truly unique truck on the road. That’s a great feeling!”

Ten days later, they've achieved their goal. Nikola Two is unveiled to huge crowds at a public demo day in Scottsdale, drawing an enthusiastic response from the trade press. The next job for the truck godfather is to help get Nikola Two into production. The goal is to make 35,000 trucks a year, with production kicking off in 2022. But first it’s time for a well-earned break.

“There’s a great hiking trail through the desert that starts just behind our house. Walking that trail with my son is exactly the kind of break I need,” Appel says. The sun slowly sets behind Arizona’s desert mountains as both Christian Appel and the Nikola Two recharge their batteries, ready for their next mission.