Back in August, we reported on Nikola’s announcement of a new electric UTV.
Beyond the Tesla comparisons, the vehicle made headlines for the frankly ludicrous claims: 555 horsepower. More battery storage than a Tesla P100D. Zero-to-60 MPH in 3.9 seconds with four passengers. And the ability to defeat five gas-powered UTVs in a tug-of-war — thanks to 4,900 lb-ft of torque. As we noted, that’s more torque than an M1 Abrams tank.
Now, the Nikola NZT is available for purchase and the claims are … mostly true.
First off, the top-of-the-line model NZT 440 is no doubt the most powerful side-by-side on the market. It comes in above the promised horsepower (at 590 ponies, more than the new Mustang Bullitt) and faster than the promised acceleration (at 0-60 MPH in 3.5 seconds). It did score below the promised torque (722 lb-ft.) — but that’s only because the estimated torque was measured after gear reduction. Otherwise, Nikola says you’d be looking at a bonkers 9,386 lb-ft (still less than a tank, for what it’s worth).
Add the 125 kWh battery pack (75 and 100 versions are also available), and this beast can tear through 150 miles on a single charge which is, as Nikola writes in their press release, much more than the 25 miles the average off-road UTV driver travels each day.
Nikola NZT (4 images)
But with great power comes great responsibility, and if you want be king of the desert, you’ll be on the hook for $62,000 (if you Mad Max out on every feature). There are four models available, each based on the kilowatt output: the NZT 440, 352, 280 and 198. Even the tamest version kicks out an industry-topping 266 HP, and comes in a few pennies cheaper (but, y’know, still car-level), at $28,900.
Interested buyers can reserve one now, and by “interested buyers,” we mean doomsday preppers.
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