The Nikola NZT is an e-buggy that sprints 0-100 in 4s

Startup car company Nikola Motors has produced the first copy of its NZT dune buggy. The lightweight off-road vehicle boasts four powerful electric motors that combine their efforts for an impressive 600 hp (447 kW) along with 1,051 Nm (775 lbft) of torque. It sprints from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in four seconds flat and can cover up to 240 km (150 miles) on a single charge.

The abbreviation ‘NZT’ stands for ‘net zero toll’, highlighting the car’s complete friendliness to the environment.

The newcomer also packs an especially large 125 kWh traction battery. It takes two hours to charge it using a high voltage station, or 15 hours if you use the regular wall socket.

With a whopping 305 millimeters (12 inches) of ground clearance, the Nikola NZT has no trouble navigating difficult terrain. It has a flat underbody, 35-inch off-road tires, and Fox 3.0 shock absorbers with 500 mm (19.5 inches) of travel. The high-end powertrain enables it to haul trailer attachments weighing up to 1,360 kilograms (3,000 lbs).

As far as the equipment and features are concerned, the car has a digital dash, a multimedia center with a 13-inch vertical display, and a speaker set. The closed/coupe version additionally gets climate control and power windows.

The Nikola NZT will hit production next year and ship priced at U.S. $80,000 and above that. The company promises to build a similar vehicle for military purposes later.

Photos: Nikola Motors