NZCS chat recap: Driving down the cost of hydrogen

‘The topic of zero emissions at the vehicle level, that’s the passion around here’

Pablo Koziner, president of Nikola Energy, is working to down the cost of hydrogen fuel for the long-haul trucking industry. (Photo: FreightWaves)

This fireside chat recap is from FreightWaves’ Net-Zero Carbon Summit.

FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: Pathway to profit — driving down the cost of hydrogen 

DETAILS: As hydrogen grows in consideration as a fuel source for long-haul trucking, Nikola Motor Corp.’s Pablo Koziner is tasked with finding ways to bring down the cost of making the fuel to profitably power the company’s fuel cell trucks in the U.S. and Europe.

SPEAKER: Koziner is president of Nikola Energy.

BIO: Koziner leads Nikola’s hydrogen fueling and battery charging business.

KEY QUOTES FROM KOZINER:

“On the topic of zero emissions at the vehicle level, that’s the passion around here. People join this company because they’re motivated by changing heavy transport and ultimately decarbonizing an area of the transportation segment that is today a major contributor to carbon emissions.”

“On the truck side, we aspire to be the preference of choice to the market. … If you look at the amount of trucks over a 20-year period that are sold — around 190,000 tractors — there’s ample opportunity and ample demand if we all get this right to bring this technology to bear.” 

“We’re obsessed at Nikola about lowering the cost of production of hydrogen. Ultimately how you make money is by No. 1, pleasing your customers. It all has to work, it has to be safe, reliable, and ultimately, you have to be providing strong value.”

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Noi Mahoney

Noi Mahoney is a Texas-based journalist who covers cross-border trade, logistics and supply chains for FreightWaves. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English in 1998. Mahoney has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working for newspapers in Maryland and Texas. Contact nmahoney@freightwaves.com