What you need to know:
- Hyroad Energy reconnects Nikola trucks in December 2025 – restoring digital access for Nikola Tre BEV and FCEV fleets.
- Full truck-to-cloud access returns – including Fleet web app, Drive mobile app, real-time truck locations, and cellular data connectivity.
- Key fleet features restored – Truck lock/unlock, odometer readings, fuel & battery levels, H2 efficiency, driver and truck performance, and diagnostics.
- Subscription service required – $299/month per truck, with annual discounts, bringing critical Nikola digital tools back after service outages.
Nikola trucks could be back on America's roads as soon as next month.
Hyroad Energy, which won the bankruptcy auction for Nikola Corporation in August, announced today in a LinkedIn post its plans to bring Nikola trucks back online beginning in December, offering fleet owners a path to full digital connectivity after months of service disruptions.
[Related: Over $114M worth of Nikola hydrogen trucks, raw materials up for auction]
The issues at hand date back to last July when cellular lines to Nikola production trucks were disabled, leaving fleets without access to live data, the Nikola Fleet web app, the Drive mobile app, or the ability to manage their vehicles digitally. This outage left fleets struggling to monitor vehicle performance and manage operations.
As the new owner of the largest Nikola fleet, Hyroad is launching a subscription service designed to restore truck-to-cloud connectivity for all Nikola Tre BEV and hydrogen fuel cell (FCEV) trucks. Subscribers will regain full access to Nikola's digital tools and continuous cellular data service, allowing for seamless fleet management and real-time monitoring.
With the upcoming rollout, fleets can look forward to fully restored operations but the services won't be free.
Reconnecting isn't free
Hyroad has updated its website explaining the fleet reconnect process in greater detail, which confirmed fleets will, understandably, have to pay to restore and maintain support for these key information systems.
They will be charged a $299 per truck per month fee for this software-as-a-service, and there's a 10 percent discount available for annual, prepaid subscriptions. The package of digital produces, according to the company's website, "includes essential cellular data service, continuous truck-to-cloud connectivity, the Nikola Fleet web app with live data, and the Drive mobile app (iOS and Android)."
The Drive app, in particular, is vital because the trucks will now lock or unlock for assigned drivers, including any recent assignment changes once communication is restored. Bluetooth has been working all along, so trucks will recognize drivers' phones as they approach.
For fleet managers, the Fleet web app will now show real-time truck locations again, with blue dots moving to reflect whether trucks are driving or parked.
Dashboards and reports are also back. The app will show odometer readings, fuel and battery levels, H2 fuel economy, battery efficiency, driver and truck performance, collisions, faults, diagnostics, and historical data.
The company's website adds that "Losing cloud connectivity steadily erodes these critical capabilities for drivers, fleet managers, and the vehicles themselves. Hyroad is stepping in to restore and maintain these foundational technologies: secure truck‑to‑cloud connectivity, live app features, and a path back to OTA updates and reliable maintenance—backed by our 100+ FCEV fleet and the operational expertise of former Nikola technicians and engineers."
Nikola owner reacts
Hyroad's move is expected to have a major impact on Nikola truck operators, including Bill Hall, owner of Berkley, Calif.-based Coyote Container, who have faced months of limited functionality. Hall is the owner of one of the first Tre FCEVs on the road.
[Related: FCEV early adopter's operational concerns come to life]
"I applaud all efforts to reestablish comms to the Nikola Fleet," Hall told Clean Trucking. "The last time I woke up my truck from it's slumber, everything was perfect except one tire was low on air. I have a robust 200 watt solar charger on my Nikola that keeps the 24 volt low voltage batteries fully charged which is a key requirement in keeping the truck properly laid up along with following proper shutdown procedures and disconnecting the battery switch. My iOS phone app seemed to work fine via Bluetooth connection to the truck."
Hydrogen fueling takes a hit
Nikola officially filed for bankruptcy last February, leaving fleets and operators in limbo.
[Related: Nikola's collapse brings headaches, financial problems for fleets]
There's been some market movement regarding hydrogen fueling since Hyroad first appeared on the scene last summer. Hyundai recently announced that Translead will be distributor of XCIENT fuel cell trucks, the only remaining mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 rig on the market in the U.S., at least for now.
More critically, the Trump administration has completely backed away from hydrogen. The Department of Energy (DOE) announced last month it had rescinded over 300 grants and 200 clean energy projects approved under the Biden administration. Hydrogen production initiatives in states like California, Washington, and New York—including ARCHES and PNWH2—also lost funding.
