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Alan Adler

Alan Adler is an award-winning journalist who worked for The Associated Press and the Detroit Free Press. He also spent two decades in domestic and international media relations and executive communications with General Motors.
Dec - 2022 -
Alan Adler

Paccar recalls 16,033 Peterbilt refuse trucks following rollover crashes

Three rollover crashes of Peterbilt refuse trucks over eight model years led to the recall of 16,033 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada.

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22 December
Alan Adler

‘Once-in-a-lifetime pricing boom’ in used trucks reverses course

Drivers who paid top dollar for a used truck in the past year are probably kicking themselves, if not just taking the hit and walking away.

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Alan Adler

Missteps and milestones mark 2022 in autonomous trucking

From a Netflix-worthy docudrama at TuSimple to dueling technology announcements, autonomous trucking took steps toward commercialization.

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21 December
Alan Adler

TuSimple lays off 350 employees as its fortunes worsen

TuSimple cut 25% of its workforce that grew too fast following the company’s public debut in 2021.

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20 December
Alan Adler

As layoffs loom, TuSimple CEO protected by $15M in severance cash

Autonomous trucking startup TuSimple will be on the hook for $15 million in cash severance if it ousts CEO Cheng Lu a second time.

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19 December
Alan Adler

Knight-Swift takes the wheel of Embark-equipped autonomous truck

Knight-Swift is the first carrier to put its own driver behind the wheel of a tractor embedded with autonomous software from Embark Trucks.

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17 December
Alan Adler

TuSimple moves to fix its boardroom deficiencies

Autonomous trucking developer TuSimple appointed three independent directors to right its ship after a month of boardroom drama.

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Alan Adler

Pent-up and replacement demand feeds robust trailer orders

Even as the economy shows signs of slowing, trailer manufacturers see strong demand and few cancellations.

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16 December
Alan Adler

Convicted Nikola founder Trevor Milton seeks new trial

Trevor Milton is seeking a new trial, claiming that a juror lied about using social media. Ironically, lying on social media helped convict the Nikola founder.

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Alan Adler

Autonomous trucking developers slow their roll

Uber Freight and Volvo Autonomous Solutions are stressing patience over hype in working to digitally schedule loads for the truckmaker’s one-stop shop for all things autonomy.

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15 December
Alan Adler

Plug Power will buy up to 75 Nikola fuel cell trucks

Hydrogen provider Plug Power will buy 75 Nikola fuel cell trucks while processing hydrogen Nikola will purchase.

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14 December
Alan Adler

Repeated routes reduce driver dwell time at shippers, MIT researcher says

MIT researcher David Correll says more shared information in the shipping ecosystem could ease chronic issues.

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13 December
Alan Adler

Outrider puts the (robotic) arm to autonomous yard trucks

Outrider continues transforming yard operations to autonomy, adding a robotic arm to connect and disconnect brake lines.

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Alan Adler

Is Range Energy’s electrification push the future of trailers?

As a seed-stage startup, Ali Javidan’s Range Energy doesn’t have much to show yet for his idea of electrifying trailers.

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09 December
Alan Adler

ATRI findings challenge quick transition to electric trucks

Big numbers tied to electric infrastructure released this week reinforce the chicken-and-egg cliche about electric trucks.

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08 December
Alan Adler

Commentary: $1B balance sheet could help limit TuSimple’s reputation damage

The breakup with Navistar is a big deal for autonomous truck developer TuSimple, but its balance sheet could limit reputational damage.

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06 December
Alan Adler

ATRI crunches electric truck infrastructure needs — and they’re huge

The American Transportation Research Institute finds that power needs for all-electric cars and trucks would be enormous.

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Alan Adler

TuSimple y Navistar ponen fin a su asociación para camiones autónomos 

El drama de la startup y sus fallos de comunicación obligan a la división Traton a hacer las maletas

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Alan Adler

TuSimple, Navistar end autonomous truck partnership

The industry’s first autonomous trucking marriage between TuSimple and Navistar is the first to end in divorce.

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Alan Adler

Kodiak Robotics gets $49.9M Army contract for off-road autonomy

It is not exactly a fundraising round, but Kodiak Robotics is generating $49.9 million in autonomous work for the U.S. Army

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05 December
Alan Adler

Class 8 truck orders — nowhere to go but down

Solid Class 8 orders in November still marked the second straight month of decline as backlogs grow and supply and labor issues persist.

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Alan Adler

Los pedidos de camiones de la Clase 8, a la baja 

Sólidos pedidos en noviembre, pero las reservas caen tras el récord de septiembre

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02 December
Alan Adler

Navistar recalls 31,467 trucks for suspect fasteners; GM adds 5,861 units

Navistar is recalling more than 31,000 vehicles across 12 product lines because fasteners may break due to inadequate heat treating.

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Alan Adler

Cummins previews coming attractions as emissions regulations converge

The approach of Cummins Inc. to hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines is very different from how and when it talks about most of its products.

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Nov - 2022 -
30 November
Alan Adler

Fired Peterbilt worker settles suit over COVID conditions

Peterbilt parent Paccar Inc. agreed to pay $150,000 to a worker fired after he complained about COVID safety in a Texas plant.

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Alan Adler

Cummins closes $197M acquisition of Siemens Commercial Vehicles unit

Cummins Inc. closed the $197 million purchase of Siemens’ Commercial Vehicles business, a deal originally struck by Meritor.

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29 November
Alan Adler

Hyundai’s Xcient positioned for instant US fuel cell truck leadership

When the 35 fuel cell trucks Hyundai is importing to California arrive in 2023, the South Korean automaker instantly assumes U.S. leadership.

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Alan Adler

Lordstown Motors gets OK to ship electric commercial pickup trucks

Lordstown Motors received final approvals to ship its battery-electric pickup truck to customers, overcoming doubt about its viability.

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28 November
Alan Adler

Mack asks NHTSA to overlook lighting compliance on Granite trucks

Mack Truck is recalling 27,544 Granite models from nine years of production, but it argues there is no safety risk.

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25 November
Alan Adler

¿Qué hay detrás de la moda de los electrolizadores para el hidrógeno verde? 

La separación de átomos de hidrógeno y oxígeno crece como combustible para los camiones y otras industrias

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Alan Adler

What’s behind the electrolyzer craze for green hydrogen?

With a goal of decarbonizing the economy, numerous companies are adopting centuries-old electrolysis to split oxygen and hydrogen atoms.

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21 November
Alan Adler

Trailer orders soar in October as OEMs raise intake

The easing of constricted supply chains has allowed trailer manufacturers to accept orders that were shunned a year ago.

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Alan Adler

Jonathan Randall named president of Mack Trucks North America

Jonathan Randall has been named to the vacant North American presidency of the brand where he led sales and commercial operations.

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19 November
Alan Adler

Fuel cell truck maker Hyzon Motors increases risk of Nasdaq delisting

Hydrogen fuel cell truck maker Hyzon Motors faces Nasdaq deadlines after missing a financial filing for the second consecutive quarter.

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18 November
Alan Adler

Used truck prices fall as OEM supply chain clears

As supply chain logjams lessen, improving new truck production levels put downward pressure on used truck prices.

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Alan Adler

Electrification, autonomous startups happy for help

A theme emerges as you look around the electrification and autonomous trucking space. Practically no one does it alone.

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17 November
Alan Adler

Co-founder gets voting control of TuSimple

Boardroom drama at TuSimple takes a new turn with the executive chairman holding 59% voting control of the company.

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16 November
Alan Adler

Pilot and Volvo Group add to public electric charging projects

Pilot Co. and Volvo Group move to keep public charging on pace with electric vehicle adoption as Prologis adds charging installations.

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11 November
Alan Adler

Wabash CEO leverages military training in transforming trailer business

How does nearly three years as a nuclear machinist’s mate in the U.S. Navy prepare someone to be CEO of Wabash?

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10 November
Alan Adler

Cheng Lu vuelve como CEO de TuSimple; los directores independientes son destituidos 

El ejecutivo destituido regresa mientras la startup busca recuperar la estabilidad tras el despido del cofundador

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Alan Adler

Cheng Lu returns as CEO at TuSimple; independent directors dumped

Cheng Lu, ousted as CEO in an unannounced succession plan in March, is returning to autonomous truck developer TuSimple in his former role.

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08 November
Alan Adler

Exclusive: Daily stock sales cut short Nikola CEO’s tenure

Mark Russell has been selling converted options in Nikola daily since mid-September, which is not a good look for a company CEO.

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07 November
Alan Adler

Daimler recalls 218,468 trucks for possible corrosion on brake module

Daimler Truck North America is taking no chances that a brake module corrosion issue is more widespread than it thinks.

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04 November
Alan Adler

Class 8 orders stay strong, but the party may end soon

Class 8 truck orders remained strong in October, but lower profits at truckload companies may cool bookings.

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03 November
Alan Adler

Meritor takeover, China drag on Cummins’ Q3 earnings

The $3.3 billion acquisition of Meritor Inc. took a bite out of Cummins’ Q3 earnings as did underperforming joint ventures in China.

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Alan Adler

Nikola cuts workforce, slows production of loss-making electric trucks

Nikola Corp. is laying off 7% of its workforce and slowing electric production because making more increases the loss.

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01 November
Alan Adler

TuSimple expects to quickly fill CEO post after firing co-founder

A permanent replacement for TuSimple CEO Xiaodi Hou is expected soon as the company chairman and the ousted founder exchange barbs.

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Oct - 2022 -
31 October
Alan Adler

TuSimple details reasons for firing CEO in SEC filing

TuSimple fired co-founder Xiaodi Hou as CEO and kicked him off the board amid federal probes into dealings with China.

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Alan Adler

Las investigaciones federales reavivan la preocupación por los negocios de TuSimple en China 

Separar los problemas de la comercialización de camiones autónomos es cada vez más difícil

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Alan Adler

Reported federal probes reignite concerns over TuSimple’s China dealings

The Wall Street Journal reports multiple federal probes of TuSimple’s China dealings after a watchdog set up oversight in February.

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28 October
Alan Adler

Daimler Truck expects higher profit on better business conditions

Daimler Truck now thinks it will earn more money in 2022 because parts shortages are improving and its backlog-to-build schedule is shrinking.

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Alan Adler

Traton Group again relies on Navistar for sales boost

Traton Group relied on Navistar to boost nine-month sales by 11% while a litany of industry issues pressured income.

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Alan Adler

Inward-facing cameras gain ground as drivers grumble

Driver-facing cameras are seen as intrusive and an invasion of privacy in the truck-driving community. Yet fleets are rapidly adopting them.

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26 October
Alan Adler

Wabash blows away Q3 earnings estimates, builds trailer backlog

Trailer and final-mile equipment maker Wabash crushed third-quarter earnings estimates and built its backlog for a rainy day.

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Alan Adler

Driver shortage eases, but trajectory still points to huge shortfall

The American Trucking Associations puts the shortfall of truck drivers at 78,000 this year, down slightly from 2021 but still high.

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Alan Adler

Daimler Truck’s GenH2 is more than just a fuel cell

Daimler Truck’s cellcentric joint venture with Volvo Group is a fuel cell truck first, but a big battery pack makes it a parallel hybrid.

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25 October
Alan Adler

Paccar continues to soar, sees only good times ahead

The maker of Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF Trucks reported record Q3 net income on strong across-the-business performance.

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24 October
Alan Adler

ATA president takes victory lap for legislative, court victories

American Truck Associations President Chris Spear lived up to his last name in an annual address excoriating industry foes.

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Alan Adler

Paccar recalls 76,492 trucks because digital dash can freeze

Paccar Inc. is recalling late-model Kenworth and Peterbilt heavy-duty trucks because the digital dash system can freeze.

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22 October
Alan Adler

Runaway diesel prices top trucking industry’s critical issues list

Soaring diesel fuel prices rank as the trucking industry’s most critical issue, knocking the driver shortage from the top spot.

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21 October
Alan Adler

A startup’s big bet on a Southwest electric truck corridor

Data centers and electric charging infrastructure share an insatiable demand for power. Neha Palmer understands both.

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20 October
Alan Adler

Nikola gets real on hydrogen with 60 stations planned by 2026

Nikola expects federal incentives to help pay for hydrogen development, a different scenario from its convicted founder’s hydrogen claims.

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Alan Adler

Volvo Group sets Q3 records for production and deliveries

Volvo Group posted solid Q3 results but said ongoing supply chain issues will cause shutdowns and raise prices.

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19 October
Alan Adler

External pressures drag out typical cycle for trailer orders

Uncertainty in the supply chain and commodity price vagaries are stretching out trailer orders beyond traditional cycles.

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15 October
Alan Adler

Commentary: After bagging Milton, who will feds go after next?

The federal government made SPAC-sponsored Nikola founder Trevor Milton an example of corporate greed. Will others follow?

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14 October
Alan Adler

Nikola founder Trevor Milton guilty on 3 fraud counts

Nikola founder Trevor Milton on Friday was found guilty of three counts of fraud and will be sentenced Jan. 27.

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Alan Adler

High-flying TruckWings looks at what’s next

TruckWings, the aerodynamic invention of Daniel Burrows, has more value than just the half-billion miles of on-road experience.

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13 October
Alan Adler

Prosecutor labels Trevor Milton a ‘con man’ in closing argument

The Trevor Milton fraud trial heads for jury deliberations Friday following invective-tinged final arguments.

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Alan Adler

Volvo VNR Electric stakes early Class 8 leadership claim

The Volvo VNR Electric lacks a nifty interior, but two extra battery packs add serious range on a single charge.

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11 October
Alan Adler

ATRI: A trucker who crashes once is at high risk for another

Updated ATRI research shows that a truck driver who disobeys traffic signals leading to a crash is 243% more likely to have another accident.

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10 October
Alan Adler

Cummins adding hydrogen electrolyzer manufacturing in US

Cummins Inc. adds Minnesota to a growing list of global sites where it is manufacturing electrolyzers for green hydrogen.

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07 October
Alan Adler

Founder shares the back story of what happened at Romeo Power

Romeo Power founder Michael Patterson shares what happened at the startup battery maker as a cautionary tale for other SPAC-backed startups.

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Alan Adler

Want a Volvo electric truck? Go for Gold or go away

Volvo Trucks North America is making vehicle as a service mandatory for buyers of its Class 8 electric trucks.

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05 October
Alan Adler

Class 8 truck orders set monthly record in September

After nearly a year of accepting only orders they were sure they could build, heavy-duty truck OEMs fully opened orderbooks in September.

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04 October
Alan Adler

Robot trucks get their own safety inspection treatment

After years of collaboration, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has figured out how to inspect autonomous trucks for safe operation.

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03 October
Alan Adler

Trevor Milton trial delayed after defense attorney tests positive for COVID

Nikola founder Trevor Milton’s fraud trial was delayed until Oct. 11 because a defense attorney tested positive for COVID-19.

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Alan Adler

Beer runs a proof point for autonomous freight

Small fleets make up 90% of the nation’s carriers. Waymo Via and C.H. Robinson used beer runs to familiarize them with autonomous trucking.

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Sep - 2022 -
30 September
Alan Adler

Prosecution rests in Nikola founder Trevor Milton’s fraud trial

Prosecutors rested their federal fraud case against Nikola founder Trevor Milton on Friday after three weeks.

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Alan Adler

Daimler Truck CEO Martin Daum tells it like he sees it

Daimler Truck CEO Martin Daum has strong opinions on cabovers versus conventional trucks, fuel cells and other issues.

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29 September
Alan Adler

Autonomous freight grows as source of 3rd-party capacity

Kodiak Robotics and Werner Enterprises completed a 152-hour autonomous freight trucking pilot between Dallas and Lake City, Florida.

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27 September
Alan Adler

Used truck prices fall further in August with ‘soft floor’ in sight

When the floor on auction prices of used trucks is reached late this year, they will still be 20% higher than pre-COVID prices.

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26 September
Alan Adler

Nikola retira todos los camiones eléctricos que ha construido hasta ahora 

El defecto podría disminuir la protección de los ocupantes en caso de accidente

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Alan Adler

Nikola recalls all the electric trucks it has built so far

Nikola Corp. is recalling 93 trucks — all it has built to date — because of improper installation of seat belt shoulder anchorage assembly.

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Alan Adler

Navistar conducting 3rd recall for connecting rod failures

Navistar is recalling 8,002 more trucks for a connecting rod defect discovered in 2020, bringing to 23,802 the number of trucks included.

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23 September
Alan Adler

Nikola CFO: Milton statements ‘could be inaccurate or exaggerated’

Nikola CFO Kim Brady testified in Trevor Milton’s fraud trial that the founder’s statements “could be inaccurate or exaggerated.”

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Alan Adler

An inconvenient truth about electric trucks

A few days in Germany revealed an inconvenient truth about real-world applications of battery-electric and hydrogen-powered trucks.

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20 September
Alan Adler

Nikola CEO says company executives tried ‘intervention’ with Trevor Milton

Neither an “intervention” nor changing social media passwords deterred Trevor Milton’s social media frenzy, Nikola’s CEO testifies .

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19 September
Alan Adler

Nikola CEO testifies Trevor Milton went on ‘blitz’ to attract shareholders

Nikola CEO Mark Russell testified in Trevor Milton’s fraud trial that Milton went on a publicity “blitz” to attract retail investors.

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Alan Adler

Daimler Truck boosts electric truck range with new battery chemistry

Daimler Truck is using exclusive battery chemistry to boost the range of its next long-haul electric truck beyond 300 miles.

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16 September
Alan Adler

Nikola whistleblower enriched by short seller may get millions more

A Nikola whistleblower collected $600,000 from a short seller of the company’s stock and could be in line for a bigger payday from the SEC.

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14 September
Alan Adler

Cushier rides becoming standard fare in work trucks

Does a comfy ride that resembles what they drive off duty keep a truck driver happier? OEMs seem to think so.

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13 September
Alan Adler

Trevor Milton cast as greedy villain and betrayal victim in fraud trial

Opening statements in Trevor Milton’s fraud trial paint a picture of greed contrasted by tales of tweets and corporate betrayal.

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Alan Adler

Revamped Freightliner medium-duty trucks adopt Cascadia resemblance

The Freightliner M2 and SD Plus medium-duty trucks coming in 2023 draw a family resemblance to their Class 8 sibling Cascadia.

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12 September
Alan Adler

Trevor Milton fraud trial jury seated; opening statements next

After a full day of questioning potential jurors, a panel was seated for Nikola founder Trevor Milton’s trial on federal fraud charges.

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Alan Adler

5 things to know as Trevor Milton’s criminal fraud trial begins

Nikola founder Trevor Milton’s fraud trial begins Monday, Sept. 12, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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09 September
Alan Adler

Trevor Milton no ha ofrecido ningún acuerdo con el gobierno ni lo ha solicitado 

El juicio penal del fundador de Nikola comienza el lunes con la selección del jurado

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