The Nikola NZT’s “3.5 times more horsepower” headline referred to a proposed 590-hp top trim and a side-by-side benchmark as it stood in December 2017. It was a historical comparison about an announced vehicle—not a verified present-day ranking or proof that the NZT reached production.
What did the Nikola NZT horsepower headline mean?
New Atlas reported on December 19, 2017, that the NZT’s top configuration, called the NZT 440, was announced at 590 hp (440 kW) and 722 lb-ft (1,047 Nm) of torque before gear reduction. The article framed that output as 3.5 times the horsepower of the nearest rival at the time. It also said the base 266-hp NZT would exceed the most powerful then-available side-by-side by nearly 100 hp, but did not name that competitor model. New Atlas’ 2017 report therefore supports a period comparison, not a current matchup.
What power figures were announced for the four trims?
New Atlas listed four proposed NZT versions. These are announced figures from December 2017, not a verified production specification sheet.
| Proposed trim | Reported horsepower |
|---|---|
| NZT 440 | 590 hp (440 kW) |
| NZT 352 | 472 hp |
| NZT 280 | 375 hp |
| NZT 198 | 266 hp |
Only the top trim’s torque figure is stated in that report: 722 lb-ft (1,047 Nm) before gear reduction. New Atlas also described four-wheel drive, an IP67 rating, power steering, 33-inch Kevlar-reinforced tires, 20 inches of suspension travel per wheel, Fox Podium internal-bypass shocks, a tablet-style display, and front and rear winches. Those details belong to the announced 2017 configuration.
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What did the 2018 prototype report add?
MotorTrend described the NZT displayed at the September 2018 Sand Sports Super Show as a four-seat electric side-by-side prototype. Its report gave 14.5 inches of ground clearance, 722 lb-ft of torque, a 125-kWh lithium-ion battery option, and a 150-mile range under what Nikola described as “hard-core” driving conditions. These were prototype-era reported specifications, not independent test results. MotorTrend’s September 2018 account also listed 33-inch tires, Fox internal-bypass shocks, and 17-inch beadlock wheels.
MotorTrend reported that the prototype had front and rear winches rated at 4,500 lb each. That figure describes the winches reported on the displayed vehicle; it does not establish compatibility for a particular replacement winch or other accessory. MotorTrend’s report is the source for those prototype details.
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Was the Nikola NZT ever made?
The available contemporaneous reporting establishes announced specifications and a prototype, but it does not establish that retail production began. In September 2018, MotorTrend said Nikola expected a production model in April 2019; a stated target date is not confirmation of a launch. The article called the show vehicle a prototype and noted the company expected to make changes. MotorTrend, September 20, 2018.
A 2023 public court filing alleges that Nikola made only a mock-up of a luxury closed-cabin NZT design and later abandoned that design. The allegation concerns that closed-cabin version; by itself, it does not settle the status of the entire NZT program. The filing should not be read as proof that no other NZT configuration was built.
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The NZT had earlier been discussed under the Nikola Zero name, as WIRED noted in August 2017. WIRED’s report provides that naming context, but the sources cited here do not verify present-day vehicle availability, parts, service, or charging equipment.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the figures should not be combined into a final spec sheet
The 2017 New Atlas article and the 2018 MotorTrend prototype report describe different points in the NZT’s development. Their figures should remain attached to their publication dates and status: the first covered announced trims, while the second described a prototype and specifications reported by Nikola. Neither source establishes a final, production-verified specification set. The “3.5 times” claim is consequently best understood as a 2017 headline comparison, not a claim about today’s UTV market.
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