Nikola Motors: Engineering the Factory Behind the Future of Freight

A vehicle can only be as revolutionary as the facility that produces it. Nikola Motors is reshaping the global transportation landscape with its zero-emission hydrogen and battery-electric Class 8 semi-trucks, and our firm is helping make that vision physical. We’re supporting the development of a state-of-the-art greenfield manufacturing plant expected to span approximately 1.5 million square feet upon completion, along with cutting-edge R&D testing facilities and a 1.5-mile high-speed oval test track designed to push the boundaries of vehicle technology.

The engineering behind a facility this ambitious goes far beyond the building footprint. Regional drainage management facilities, plans for a future 69kV substation, comprehensive entitlement support, and meticulous infrastructure master planning all fall within our scope. This is the kind of project where every system has to be designed in concert because the facility doesn’t work if any single piece falls short.

Water, Power, and a Dozen Agencies at the Table

Close collaboration has defined this project from day one. Nikola Motors, local municipalities, Pinal County authorities, utility providers, irrigation districts, and the Bureau of Reclamation have all been part of the conversation, ensuring seamless integration and regulatory compliance across every phase of design and development.

Our Water Infrastructure team, in partnership with Global Water, is leading a separate but equally critical piece of the puzzle: the Water Campus and Well initiative. This work involves designing and implementing a new well and water campus to provide a sustainable water supply not just for the manufacturing facility but for a broader segment of the Global Water Picacho Cove Water Company service area. When a project this large comes to a region, the infrastructure it requires can benefit everyone around it. That’s the kind of outcome worth engineering toward.