Nikola begins production of battery-electric Tre semitruck

Electric heavy-truck startup Nikola announced on Wednesday that it has begun production of the battery-powered version of its electric Tre semitruck at its factory in Coolidge, Arizona, beating rival Tesla‘s electric semitruck to market.

Nikola plans to begin deliveries of the trucks in the second quarter, executives said during a presentation for analysts. Production of the trucks for customers began on Monday.

Nikola shares were up about 4% in after-hours trading following the announcement.

The battery-electric version of the Tre is intended for shorter routes, with an estimated range of about 350 miles. Nikola expects to deliver between…