Nikola Hires BMW Executive Jesse Schneider to Spearhead Fuel-Cell R&D

Nikola Motor Co. has hired Jesse Schneider as vice president of hydrogen and fuel-cell technologies.

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Most recently, he was group manager of drivetrain development for BMW Group. Schneider also was group manager of fuel cell, EV, hydrogen development earlier in his tenure at BMW.

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In addition, he has served as chairman of development of hydrogen fueling standards and specifications at SAE International.

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Schneider

At Nikola, Schneider will spearhead efforts with the fuel-cell R&D division, working with Bosch Group in Germany and the hydrogen-fueling technology team for the Nikola stations with NEL Hydrogen in Norway, and also will lead the development of the Nikola R&D Center in Phoenix, according to the Salt Lake City-based company.

“We are excited to introduce industry veterans into our company structure to help prepare for the manufacturing rollout. Mr. Schneider will be a huge asset to Nikola and is welcomed to the Nikola family,” Nikola Motor Co. CEO Trevor Milton said in a statement.

Nikola is completing the 150,000-square-foot R&D facility in Phoenix, where the company will relocate by Aug. 1. Once in Arizona, the company intends to begin development on a 1-million-square-foot assembly plant to manufacture zero-emissions hydrogen-electric semi-trucks in Buckeye, a suburb of Phoenix.