$NKLA
Nikola Corp Stock $nkla

$nkla Overview Financials Valuation SEC Filings Company Website

2020 Q4 Form 10-K Financial Statement

#000173128921000006 Filed on February 25, 2021

Income Statement

Concept	2020 Q4	2020	2019 Q4
Revenue	$0.00	$95.00K	$49.00K
YoY Change	-100.0%	-80.29%
Cost Of Revenue	$0.00	$72.00K	$44.00K
YoY Change	-100.0%	-73.43%
Gross Profit	$0.00	$23.00K	$5.000K
YoY Change	-100.0%	-89.1%
Gross Profit Margin		24.21%	10.2%
Selling, General & Admin	$64.90M	$182.7M	$5.154M
YoY Change	1159.27%	783.07%	3121.25%
% of Gross Profit		794452.17%	103080.0%
Research & Development	$67.52M	$185.6M	$22.78M
YoY Change	196.39%	174.93%
% of Gross Profit		807039.13%	455620.0%
Depreciation & Amortization	$1.590M	$6.000M
YoY Change		160.87%
% of Gross Profit		26086.96%
Operating Expenses	$146.8M	$382.8M	$27.94M
YoY Change	425.65%	333.94%	17359.38%
Operating Profit	-$146.8M	-$382.7M	-$27.93M
YoY Change	425.74%	334.95%
Interest Expense	-$53.00K	$202.0K	$374.0K
YoY Change	-114.17%	-86.13%	-87.45%
% of Operating Profit
Other Income/Expense, Net	-$597.0K	-$846.0K	$1.278M
YoY Change	-146.71%	-161.62%
Pretax Income	-$147.5M	-$371.3M	-$26.28M
YoY Change	461.26%	319.47%	-1031.84%
Income Tax	-$1.030M	-$1.026M	$1.000K
% Of Pretax Income
Net Earnings	-$147.1M	-$370.9M	-$26.28M
YoY Change	459.75%	318.32%	-1327.99%
Net Earnings / Revenue		-390385.26%	-53630.61%
Basic Earnings Per Share		-$1.15
Diluted Earnings Per Share	-$368.5K	-$1.18	$9.109K
COMMON SHARES
Basic Shares Outstanding	384.1M shares	335.3M shares
Diluted Shares Outstanding		335.8M shares

Balance Sheet

Concept	2020 Q4	2020	2019 Q4
SHORT-TERM ASSETS
Cash & Short-Term Investments	$840.9M	$840.9M	$800.0K
YoY Change	105012.5%	105012.5%	-33.33%
Cash & Equivalents	$840.9M	$840.9M	$85.69M
Short-Term Investments
Other Short-Term Assets	$51.60M	$51.60M	$0.00
YoY Change			-100.0%
Inventory	$0.00	$0.00
Prepaid Expenses
Receivables	$0.00	$0.00	$658.0K
Other Receivables	$0.00	$0.00
Total Short-Term Assets	$896.9M	$892.5M	$90.88M
YoY Change	886.91%	111462.5%	6890.85%
LONG-TERM ASSETS
Property, Plant & Equipment	$71.40M	$71.40M	$53.38M
YoY Change	33.76%
Goodwill	$5.238M		$5.238M
YoY Change	0.0%
Intangibles	$50.05M		$62.51M
YoY Change	-19.94%
Long-Term Investments	$8.420M	$8.400M	$0.00
YoY Change
Other Assets	$0.00	$8.400M	$53.00K
YoY Change	-100.0%	-96.48%	-99.98%
Total Long-Term Assets	$156.8M	$161.2M	$138.5M
YoY Change	13.17%	-32.38%	-41.09%
TOTAL ASSETS
Total Short-Term Assets	$896.9M	$892.5M	$90.88M
Total Long-Term Assets	$156.8M	$161.2M	$138.5M
Total Assets	$1.054B	$1.054B	$229.4M
YoY Change	359.27%	340.51%	-2.99%
SHORT-TERM LIABILITIES
YoY Change
Accounts Payable	$29.40M	$29.40M	$100.0K
YoY Change	29300.0%	29300.0%
Accrued Expenses	$17.70M	$17.70M	$200.0K
YoY Change	8750.0%	8750.0%	-33.33%
Deferred Revenue			$0.00
YoY Change
Short-Term Debt	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
YoY Change
Long-Term Debt Due	$4.100M	$5.200M	$0.00
YoY Change
Total Short-Term Liabilities	$52.27M	$52.30M	$16.54M
YoY Change	216.08%	7371.43%	1737.56%
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES
Long-Term Debt	$0.00	$14.00M	$4.100M
YoY Change	-100.0%
Other Long-Term Liabilities	$0.00	$7.300M	$12.21M
YoY Change	-100.0%
Total Long-Term Liabilities	$0.00	$21.30M	$16.31M
YoY Change	-100.0%
TOTAL LIABILITIES
Total Short-Term Liabilities	$52.27M	$52.30M	$16.54M
Total Long-Term Liabilities	$0.00	$21.30M	$16.31M
Total Liabilities	$73.57M	$73.60M	$33.92M
YoY Change	116.89%	9100.0%	3292.2%
SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY
Retained Earnings	-$560.2M		-$188.5M
YoY Change	197.21%
Common Stock	$39.00K		$27.00K
YoY Change	44.44%
Preferred Stock
YoY Change
Treasury Stock (at cost)
YoY Change
Treasury Stock Shares
Shareholders Equity	$980.1M	$980.1M	$195.5M
YoY Change
Total Liabilities & Shareholders Equity	$1.054B	$1.054B	$229.4M
YoY Change	359.27%	340.51%	-2.99%

Cashflow Statement

Concept	2020 Q4	2020	2019 Q4
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net Income	-$147.1M	-$370.9M	-$26.28M
YoY Change	459.75%	318.32%	-1327.99%
Depreciation, Depletion And Amortization	$1.590M	$6.000M
YoY Change		160.87%
Cash From Operating Activities	-$65.93M	-$150.5M	-$330.0K
YoY Change	19878.79%	86.7%	371.43%
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	-$7.140M	-$22.32M
YoY Change
Acquisitions		$0.00
YoY Change
Other Investing Activities	-$8.800M	-$8.820M	$210.0K
YoY Change	-4290.48%	-564.21%	425.0%
Cash From Investing Activities	-$15.94M	-$31.14M	$210.0K
YoY Change	-7690.48%	-20.76%	425.0%
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Cash Dividend Paid
YoY Change
Common Stock Issuance & Retirement, Net	$1.500M	$0.00
YoY Change
Debt Paid & Issued, Net
YoY Change
Cash From Financing Activities	8.680M	$941.1M	0.000
YoY Change		2528.46%
NET CHANGE
Cash From Operating Activities	-65.93M	-$150.5M	-330.0K
Cash From Investing Activities	-15.94M	-$31.14M	210.0K
Cash From Financing Activities	8.680M	$941.1M	0.000
Net Change In Cash	-73.19M	$759.4M	-120.0K
YoY Change	60891.67%	-1002.77%	300.0%
FREE CASH FLOW
Cash From Operating Activities	-$65.93M	-$150.5M	-$330.0K
Capital Expenditures	-$7.140M	-$22.32M
Free Cash Flow	-$58.79M	-$128.2M
YoY Change

Facts In Submission

Frame	Concept Type	Concept / XBRL Key	Value	Unit
CY2020	dei	Entity Central Index Key EntityCentralIndexKey	0001731289
CY2020	dei	Document Fiscal Year Focus DocumentFiscalYearFocus	2020
CY2020	dei	Document Fiscal Period Focus DocumentFiscalPeriodFocus	FY
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Right Of Use Asset Statement Of Financial Position Extensible List FinanceLeaseRightOfUseAssetStatementOfFinancialPositionExtensibleList	us-gaap:PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
CY2020	dei	Amendment Flag AmendmentFlag	false
CY2020	us-gaap	Accounting Standards Update Extensible List AccountingStandardsUpdateExtensibleList	us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201602Member
CY2018	us-gaap	Investment Company Realized And Unrealized Gain Loss On Investment And Foreign Currency InvestmentCompanyRealizedAndUnrealizedGainLossOnInvestmentAndForeignCurrency	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Investment Company Realized And Unrealized Gain Loss On Investment And Foreign Currency InvestmentCompanyRealizedAndUnrealizedGainLossOnInvestmentAndForeignCurrency	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Number Of Operating Segments NumberOfOperatingSegments	1	segment
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Noncurrent Statement Of Financial Position Extensible List FinanceLeaseLiabilityNoncurrentStatementOfFinancialPositionExtensibleList	us-gaap:FinanceLeaseLiabilityNoncurrent
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Current Statement Of Financial Position Extensible List FinanceLeaseLiabilityCurrentStatementOfFinancialPositionExtensibleList	nkla:AccruedLiabilitiesAndOtherLiabilitiesCurrent
CY2020	dei	Document Type DocumentType	10-K
CY2020	dei	Document Annual Report DocumentAnnualReport	true
CY2020	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2020-12-31
CY2020	dei	Current Fiscal Year End Date CurrentFiscalYearEndDate	--12-31
CY2020	dei	Document Transition Report DocumentTransitionReport	false
CY2020	dei	Entity File Number EntityFileNumber	001-04321
CY2020	dei	Entity Registrant Name EntityRegistrantName	Nikola Corporation
CY2020	dei	Entity Incorporation State Country Code EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode	DE
CY2020	dei	Entity Tax Identification Number EntityTaxIdentificationNumber	82-4151153
CY2020	dei	Entity Address Address Line1 EntityAddressAddressLine1	4141 E Broadway Road
CY2020	dei	Entity Address Postal Zip Code EntityAddressPostalZipCode	85040
CY2020	dei	Entity Address City Or Town EntityAddressCityOrTown	Phoenix
CY2020	dei	Entity Address State Or Province EntityAddressStateOrProvince	AZ
CY2020	dei	City Area Code CityAreaCode	(480)
CY2020	dei	Local Phone Number LocalPhoneNumber	666-1038
CY2020	dei	Security12b Title Security12bTitle	Common stock, $0.0001 par value per share
CY2020	dei	Trading Symbol TradingSymbol	NKLA
CY2020	dei	Security Exchange Name SecurityExchangeName	NASDAQ
CY2020	dei	Entity Well Known Seasoned Issuer EntityWellKnownSeasonedIssuer	No
CY2020	dei	Entity Voluntary Filers EntityVoluntaryFilers	No
CY2020	dei	Entity Current Reporting Status EntityCurrentReportingStatus	Yes
CY2020	dei	Entity Interactive Data Current EntityInteractiveDataCurrent	Yes
CY2020	dei	Entity Filer Category EntityFilerCategory	Large Accelerated Filer
CY2020	dei	Entity Small Business EntitySmallBusiness	false
CY2020	dei	Entity Emerging Growth Company EntityEmergingGrowthCompany	false
CY2020	dei	Icfr Auditor Attestation Flag IcfrAuditorAttestationFlag	false
CY2021Q1	dei	Entity Common Stock Shares Outstanding EntityCommonStockSharesOutstanding	391945919	shares
CY2020	dei	Entity Shell Company EntityShellCompany	false
CY2020Q2	dei	Entity Public Float EntityPublicFloat	12500000000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	840913000	USD
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CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	4365000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Accounts Receivable Net Current AccountsReceivableNetCurrent	0	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Accounts Receivable Net Current AccountsReceivableNetCurrent	658000	USD
CY2020Q4	nkla	Prepaid In Kind Services Current PrepaidInKindServicesCurrent	46271000	USD
CY2019Q4	nkla	Prepaid In Kind Services Current PrepaidInKindServicesCurrent	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Prepaid Expense And Other Assets Current PrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssetsCurrent	5368000	USD
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CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Equity Method Investments EquityMethodInvestments	8420000	USD
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CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Goodwill Goodwill	5238000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Goodwill Goodwill	5238000	USD
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CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Accounts Payable Trade Current AccountsPayableTradeCurrent	5113000	USD
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CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Liabilities Current LiabilitiesCurrent	16538000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Noncurrent LongTermDebtNoncurrent	0	USD
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CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Other Liabilities Noncurrent OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	12212000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Liabilities Net DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilitiesNet	8000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Liabilities Net DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilitiesNet	1072000	USD
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CY2018	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-2002000	USD
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CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-384314000	USD
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CY2020	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	13407000	USD
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CY2018	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	166000	USD
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CY2020	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	335325271	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	262528769	shares
CY2018	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	226465041	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-384314000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-88656000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-64293000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	239000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	-384075000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	-88656000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	-64293000	USD
CY2017Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	41856000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Payments Of Stock Issuance Costs PaymentsOfStockIssuanceCosts	7000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value New Issues StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueNewIssues	209000000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Goodwill And Intangible Asset Impairment GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetImpairment	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Goodwill And Intangible Asset Impairment GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetImpairment	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Goodwill And Intangible Asset Impairment GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetImpairment	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Stock Repurchased During Period Value StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue	4166000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Share Based Compensation Stock Options Requisite Service Period Recognition AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalShareBasedCompensationStockOptionsRequisiteServicePeriodRecognition	3843000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-64293000	USD
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Temporary Equity Shares Outstanding TemporaryEquitySharesOutstanding	0	shares
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Temporary Equity Carrying Amount Attributable To Parent TemporaryEquityCarryingAmountAttributableToParent	0	USD
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	186240000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments Of Stock Issuance Costs PaymentsOfStockIssuanceCosts	4700	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value New Issues StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueNewIssues	60305000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value Issued For Services StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueIssuedForServices	58000000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Stock Repurchased During Period Value StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue	31356000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value Stock Options Exercised StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueStockOptionsExercised	1000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Share Based Compensation Stock Options Requisite Service Period Recognition AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalShareBasedCompensationStockOptionsRequisiteServicePeriodRecognition	4858000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-88656000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Temporary Equity Shares Outstanding TemporaryEquitySharesOutstanding	0	shares
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Temporary Equity Carrying Amount Attributable To Parent TemporaryEquityCarryingAmountAttributableToParent	0	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	195508000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Hosting Arrangement Service Contract Implementation Cost Capitalized After Accumulated Amortization HostingArrangementServiceContractImplementationCostCapitalizedAfterAccumulatedAmortization	500000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments Of Stock Issuance Costs PaymentsOfStockIssuanceCosts	8403000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value New Issues StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueNewIssues	56250000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value Issued For Services StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueIssuedForServices	91999000	USD
CY2020	nkla	Shares Issued During Period Value Recapitalization SharesIssuedDuringPeriodValueRecapitalization	616220000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value Stock Options Exercised StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueStockOptionsExercised	9863000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Share Based Compensation Stock Options Requisite Service Period Recognition AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalShareBasedCompensationStockOptionsRequisiteServicePeriodRecognition	137991000	USD
CY2020	nkla	Stock Issued During Period Value Warrants Exercised Net StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueWarrantsExercisedNet	264548000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-384314000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax	239000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Temporary Equity Shares Outstanding TemporaryEquitySharesOutstanding	0	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Temporary Equity Carrying Amount Attributable To Parent TemporaryEquityCarryingAmountAttributableToParent	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	987476000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-384314000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-88656000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-64293000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Depreciation Depletion And Amortization DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	6008000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Impairment Of Intangible Assets Indefinitelived Excluding Goodwill ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsIndefinitelivedExcludingGoodwill	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Impairment Of Intangible Assets Indefinitelived Excluding Goodwill ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsIndefinitelivedExcludingGoodwill	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Depreciation Depletion And Amortization DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	2323000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Depreciation Depletion And Amortization DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	625000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation ShareBasedCompensation	137991000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation ShareBasedCompensation	4858000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation ShareBasedCompensation	3843000	USD
CY2020	nkla	Noncash Interest Income Operating NoncashInterestIncomeOperating	0	USD
CY2019	nkla	Noncash Interest Income Operating NoncashInterestIncomeOperating	0	USD
CY2018	nkla	Noncash Interest Income Operating NoncashInterestIncomeOperating	298000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Fair Value Adjustment Of Warrants FairValueAdjustmentOfWarrants	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Fair Value Adjustment Of Warrants FairValueAdjustmentOfWarrants	3339000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Fair Value Adjustment Of Warrants FairValueAdjustmentOfWarrants	-3502000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-1063000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	151000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-2002000	USD
CY2020	nkla	Non Cash In Kind Services NonCashInKindServices	45729000	USD
CY2019	nkla	Non Cash In Kind Services NonCashInKindServices	8000000	USD
CY2018	nkla	Non Cash In Kind Services NonCashInKindServices	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-2000000.0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Supplies Expense SuppliesExpense	0	USD
CY2020	nkla	Gain Loss On Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption GainLossOnFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	-1324000	USD
CY2019	nkla	Gain Loss On Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption GainLossOnFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	0	USD
CY2018	nkla	Gain Loss On Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption GainLossOnFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	14415000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-637000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	-658000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	763000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	-47000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Prepaid Expense IncreaseDecreaseInPrepaidExpense	1586000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Prepaid Expense IncreaseDecreaseInPrepaidExpense	-157000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Prepaid Expense IncreaseDecreaseInPrepaidExpense	2588000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Payable And Accrued Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilities	29668000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Impairment Of Intangible Assets Indefinitelived Excluding Goodwill ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsIndefinitelivedExcludingGoodwill	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Payable And Accrued Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilities	-9366000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Payable And Accrued Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilities	15121000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentLiabilities	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentLiabilities	-670000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentLiabilities	-972000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities	-150533000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities	-80627000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities	-54019000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Businesses Net Of Cash Acquired PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Businesses Net Of Cash Acquired PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Businesses Net Of Cash Acquired PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired	350000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Notes Receivable PaymentsToAcquireNotesReceivable	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Notes Receivable PaymentsToAcquireNotesReceivable	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Notes Receivable PaymentsToAcquireNotesReceivable	2500000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Other Property Plant And Equipment PaymentsToAcquireOtherPropertyPlantAndEquipment	22324000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Other Property Plant And Equipment PaymentsToAcquireOtherPropertyPlantAndEquipment	21100000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Other Property Plant And Equipment PaymentsToAcquireOtherPropertyPlantAndEquipment	9155000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Interest In Joint Venture PaymentsToAcquireInterestInJointVenture	8817000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Interest In Joint Venture PaymentsToAcquireInterestInJointVenture	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Interest In Joint Venture PaymentsToAcquireInterestInJointVenture	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments For Capital Improvements PaymentsForCapitalImprovements	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments For Capital Improvements PaymentsForCapitalImprovements	18202000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Payments For Capital Improvements PaymentsForCapitalImprovements	3405000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities	-31141000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities	-39302000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities	-15410000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments For Repurchase Of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock PaymentsForRepurchaseOfRedeemableConvertiblePreferredStock	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments For Repurchase Of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock PaymentsForRepurchaseOfRedeemableConvertiblePreferredStock	31356000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Payments For Repurchase Of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock PaymentsForRepurchaseOfRedeemableConvertiblePreferredStock	1368000	USD
CY2020	nkla	Proceeds From Recapitalization Transaction ProceedsFromRecapitalizationTransaction	616726000	USD
CY2019	nkla	Proceeds From Recapitalization Transaction ProceedsFromRecapitalizationTransaction	0	USD
CY2018	nkla	Proceeds From Recapitalization Transaction ProceedsFromRecapitalizationTransaction	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Proceeds From Stock Options Exercised ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised	9650000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Impairment Of Long Lived Assets Held For Use ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Impairment Of Long Lived Assets Held For Use ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Proceeds From Stock Options Exercised ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised	1000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Proceeds From Stock Options Exercised ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Proceeds From Warrant Exercises ProceedsFromWarrantExercises	264548000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Proceeds From Warrant Exercises ProceedsFromWarrantExercises	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Proceeds From Warrant Exercises ProceedsFromWarrantExercises	0	USD
CY2020	nkla	Proceeds From Finance Lease ProceedsFromFinanceLease	889000	USD
CY2019	nkla	Proceeds From Finance Lease ProceedsFromFinanceLease	0	USD
CY2018	nkla	Proceeds From Finance Lease ProceedsFromFinanceLease	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Finance Lease Principal Payments FinanceLeasePrincipalPayments	1042000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Repayments Of Long Term Capital Lease Obligations RepaymentsOfLongTermCapitalLeaseObligations	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Repayments Of Long Term Capital Lease Obligations RepaymentsOfLongTermCapitalLeaseObligations	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Long Term Debt ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt	4134000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Long Term Debt ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Long Term Debt ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt	4100000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Repayments Of Debt RepaymentsOfDebt	4134000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Repayments Of Debt RepaymentsOfDebt	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Repayments Of Debt RepaymentsOfDebt	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities	941120000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities	35805000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities	211732000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease Including Exchange Rate Effect CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect	759446000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease Including Exchange Rate Effect CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect	-84124000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease Including Exchange Rate Effect CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect	142303000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	89832000	USD
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	173956000	USD
CY2017Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	31653000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	849278000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	89832000	USD
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	173956000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Interest Paid Net InterestPaidNet	884000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Interest Paid Net InterestPaidNet	96000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Interest Paid Net InterestPaidNet	96000	USD
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	100000	USD
CY2020	nkla	Interest Received InterestReceived	703000	USD
CY2019	nkla	Interest Received InterestReceived	1437000	USD
CY2018	nkla	Interest Received InterestReceived	484000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Taxes Paid Net IncomeTaxesPaidNet	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Taxes Paid Net IncomeTaxesPaidNet	2000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Income Taxes Paid Net IncomeTaxesPaidNet	0	USD
CY2020	nkla	Noncash Or Partial Noncash Settlement Of Related Party Interest Receivable NoncashOrPartialNoncashSettlementOfRelatedPartyInterestReceivable	0	USD
CY2019	nkla	Noncash Or Partial Noncash Settlement Of Related Party Interest Receivable NoncashOrPartialNoncashSettlementOfRelatedPartyInterestReceivable	0	USD
CY2018	nkla	Noncash Or Partial Noncash Settlement Of Related Party Interest Receivable NoncashOrPartialNoncashSettlementOfRelatedPartyInterestReceivable	298000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Notes Reduction NotesReduction	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Notes Reduction NotesReduction	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Notes Reduction NotesReduction	2500000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid	6751000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid	1094000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid	1781000	USD
CY2020	nkla	Noncash Acquisition Property Acquired Through Build To Suit Lease NoncashAcquisitionPropertyAcquiredThroughBuildToSuitLease	0	USD
CY2019	nkla	Noncash Acquisition Property Acquired Through Build To Suit Lease NoncashAcquisitionPropertyAcquiredThroughBuildToSuitLease	3243000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Income Tax Examination Penalties And Interest Accrued IncomeTaxExaminationPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued	0	USD
CY2018	nkla	Noncash Acquisition Property Acquired Through Build To Suit Lease NoncashAcquisitionPropertyAcquiredThroughBuildToSuitLease	9287000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Noncash Or Part Noncash Acquisition Intangible Assets Acquired1 NoncashOrPartNoncashAcquisitionIntangibleAssetsAcquired1	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Noncash Or Part Noncash Acquisition Intangible Assets Acquired1 NoncashOrPartNoncashAcquisitionIntangibleAssetsAcquired1	50000000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Noncash Or Part Noncash Acquisition Intangible Assets Acquired1 NoncashOrPartNoncashAcquisitionIntangibleAssetsAcquired1	0	USD
CY2020	nkla	Noncash Prepaid In Kind Services NoncashPrepaidInKindServices	46271000	USD
CY2019	nkla	Noncash Prepaid In Kind Services NoncashPrepaidInKindServices	0	USD
CY2018	nkla	Noncash Prepaid In Kind Services NoncashPrepaidInKindServices	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Debt Issuance Costs Incurred During Noncash Or Partial Noncash Transaction DebtIssuanceCostsIncurredDuringNoncashOrPartialNoncashTransaction	285000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Debt Issuance Costs Incurred During Noncash Or Partial Noncash Transaction DebtIssuanceCostsIncurredDuringNoncashOrPartialNoncashTransaction	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Debt Issuance Costs Incurred During Noncash Or Partial Noncash Transaction DebtIssuanceCostsIncurredDuringNoncashOrPartialNoncashTransaction	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Noncash Or Part Noncash Acquisition Value Of Liabilities Assumed1 NoncashOrPartNoncashAcquisitionValueOfLiabilitiesAssumed1	221000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Noncash Or Part Noncash Acquisition Value Of Liabilities Assumed1 NoncashOrPartNoncashAcquisitionValueOfLiabilitiesAssumed1	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Noncash Or Part Noncash Acquisition Value Of Liabilities Assumed1 NoncashOrPartNoncashAcquisitionValueOfLiabilitiesAssumed1	0	USD
CY2020	nkla	Settlement Of Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption SettlementOfFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	1324000	USD
CY2019	nkla	Settlement Of Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption SettlementOfFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	0	USD
CY2018	nkla	Settlement Of Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption SettlementOfFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Advertising Expense AdvertisingExpense	2500000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Stock Issued1 StockIssued1	213000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Stock Issued1 StockIssued1	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Stock Issued1 StockIssued1	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.0001
CY2020	us-gaap	Use Of Estimates UseOfEstimates	The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the balance sheet date, as well as reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. The Company's most significant estimates and judgments involve valuation of the Company's stock-based compensation, including the fair value of common stock and market-based restricted stock units, the valuation of warrant liabilities, the valuation of the redeemable convertible preferred stock tranche liability, estimates related to the Company's lease assumptions, and contingent liabilities, including litigation reserves. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
CY2018	us-gaap	Advertising Expense AdvertisingExpense	200000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Number Of Reporting Units NumberOfReportingUnits	2	business_unit
CY2020	us-gaap	Concentration Risk Credit Risk ConcentrationRiskCreditRisk	Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents. The Company's cash is placed with high-credit-quality financial institutions and issuers, and at times exceeds federally insured limits. The Company limits its concentration of risk in cash equivalents by diversifying its investments among a variety of industries and issuers. The Company has not experienced any credit loss relating to its cash equivalents.
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	840900000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	85700000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deposits Deposits	300000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deposits Deposits	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	840913000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	85688000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	4365000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents Noncurrent RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsNoncurrent	4000000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents Noncurrent RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsNoncurrent	4144000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	849278000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	89832000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Shares Purchase Of Assets StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesPurchaseOfAssets	5132289	shares
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	13400000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Advertising Expense AdvertisingExpense	700000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Investment Company Realized And Unrealized Gain Loss On Investment And Foreign Currency InvestmentCompanyRealizedAndUnrealizedGainLossOnInvestmentAndForeignCurrency	800000	USD
CY2020Q2	nkla	Conversion Of Stock Shares Issued Conversion Rate ConversionOfStockSharesIssuedConversionRate	1.901
CY2020Q2	nkla	Common Stock And Preferred Stock Shares Authorized CommonStockAndPreferredStockSharesAuthorized	750000000	shares
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Authorized CommonStockSharesAuthorized	600000000	shares
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Common Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.0001
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Shares Authorized PreferredStockSharesAuthorized	150000000	shares
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.0001
CY2020	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Private Placement ProceedsFromIssuanceOfPrivatePlacement	525000000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Repayments Of Assumed Debt RepaymentsOfAssumedDebt	422000	USD
CY2020	nkla	Proceeds From Recapitalization Transaction ProceedsFromRecapitalizationTransaction	616726000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Debt Issuance Costs Incurred During Noncash Or Partial Noncash Transaction DebtIssuanceCostsIncurredDuringNoncashOrPartialNoncashTransaction	285000	USD
CY2020	nkla	Cash Recapitalization Net CashRecapitalizationNet	616220000	USD
CY2020Q2	nkla	Shares Issued During Period Shares Recapitalization SharesIssuedDuringPeriodSharesRecapitalization	72272942	shares
CY2020Q2	nkla	Common Stock Shares Outstanding Prior To Conversion CommonStockSharesOutstandingPriorToConversion	288631536	shares
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Outstanding CommonStockSharesOutstanding	360904478	shares
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Outstanding CommonStockSharesOutstanding	151831441	shares
CY2020Q2	nkla	Conversion Of Stock Shares Issued Conversion Rate ConversionOfStockSharesIssuedConversionRate	1.901
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Supplies Supplies	0	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Supplies Supplies	1872000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Other Prepaid Expense Current OtherPrepaidExpenseCurrent	5368000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Other Prepaid Expense Current OtherPrepaidExpenseCurrent	2663000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Prepaid Expense And Other Assets Current PrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssetsCurrent	5368000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Prepaid Expense And Other Assets Current PrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssetsCurrent	4535000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Supplies Expense SuppliesExpense	1900000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Income Tax Examination Penalties And Interest Accrued IncomeTaxExaminationPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued	0	USD
CY2018Q1	us-gaap	Lessee Finance Lease Renewal Term1 LesseeFinanceLeaseRenewalTerm1	P5Y
CY2018Q1	us-gaap	Lessee Finance Lease Term Of Contract1 LesseeFinanceLeaseTermOfContract1	P11Y9M
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Hosting Arrangement Service Contract Implementation Cost Capitalized After Accumulated Amortization HostingArrangementServiceContractImplementationCostCapitalizedAfterAccumulatedAmortization	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Right Of Use Asset Before Accumulated Amortization FinanceLeaseRightOfUseAssetBeforeAccumulatedAmortization	34775000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment And Finance Lease Right Of Use Asset Before Accumulated Depreciation And Amortization PropertyPlantAndEquipmentAndFinanceLeaseRightOfUseAssetBeforeAccumulatedDepreciationAndAmortization	79816000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment And Finance Lease Right Of Use Asset Before Accumulated Depreciation And Amortization PropertyPlantAndEquipmentAndFinanceLeaseRightOfUseAssetBeforeAccumulatedDepreciationAndAmortization	56878000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment And Finance Lease Right Of Use Asset Accumulated Depreciation And Amortization PropertyPlantAndEquipmentAndFinanceLeaseRightOfUseAssetAccumulatedDepreciationAndAmortization	8415000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment And Finance Lease Right Of Use Asset Accumulated Depreciation And Amortization PropertyPlantAndEquipmentAndFinanceLeaseRightOfUseAssetAccumulatedDepreciationAndAmortization	3500000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment And Finance Lease Right Of Use Asset After Accumulated Depreciation And Amortization PropertyPlantAndEquipmentAndFinanceLeaseRightOfUseAssetAfterAccumulatedDepreciationAndAmortization	71401000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment And Finance Lease Right Of Use Asset After Accumulated Depreciation And Amortization PropertyPlantAndEquipmentAndFinanceLeaseRightOfUseAssetAfterAccumulatedDepreciationAndAmortization	53378000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Depreciation Depletion And Amortization DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	6000000.0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Depreciation Depletion And Amortization DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	2300000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Depreciation Depletion And Amortization DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	600000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Employee Related Liabilities Current EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent	1105000	USD
CY2018Q1	nkla	Lessee Finance Lease Option To Purchase Period LesseeFinanceLeaseOptionToPurchasePeriod	P36M
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Employee Related Liabilities Current EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent	1385000	USD
CY2020Q4	nkla	Accrued Stock Issuance Costs Current AccruedStockIssuanceCostsCurrent	285000	USD
CY2019Q4	nkla	Accrued Stock Issuance Costs Current AccruedStockIssuanceCostsCurrent	4695000	USD
CY2020Q4	nkla	Accrued Outsourced Engineering Services Current AccruedOutsourcedEngineeringServicesCurrent	2514000	USD
CY2019Q4	nkla	Accrued Outsourced Engineering Services Current AccruedOutsourcedEngineeringServicesCurrent	3205000	USD
CY2020Q4	nkla	Accrued Purchases Of Property And Equipment Current AccruedPurchasesOfPropertyAndEquipmentCurrent	2533000	USD
CY2019Q4	nkla	Accrued Purchases Of Property And Equipment Current AccruedPurchasesOfPropertyAndEquipmentCurrent	433000	USD
CY2020Q4	nkla	Accrued Legal Liabilities Current AccruedLegalLiabilitiesCurrent	8845000	USD
CY2019Q4	nkla	Accrued Legal Liabilities Current AccruedLegalLiabilitiesCurrent	243000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Other Accrued Liabilities Current OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	2457000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Other Accrued Liabilities Current OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	804000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Current FinanceLeaseLiabilityCurrent	1070000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Capital Lease Obligations Current CapitalLeaseObligationsCurrent	660000	USD
CY2020Q4	nkla	Accrued Liabilities And Other Liabilities Current AccruedLiabilitiesAndOtherLiabilitiesCurrent	18809000	USD
CY2019Q4	nkla	Accrued Liabilities And Other Liabilities Current AccruedLiabilitiesAndOtherLiabilitiesCurrent	11425000	USD
CY2018Q1	nkla	Lessee Finance Lease Number Of Renewal Options LesseeFinanceLeaseNumberOfRenewalOptions	2	lease_term
CY2020	us-gaap	Finance Lease Interest Expense FinanceLeaseInterestExpense	782000	USD
CY2020	nkla	Finance Lease Cost FinanceLeaseCost	4094000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Variable Lease Cost VariableLeaseCost	744000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Right Of Use Asset FinanceLeaseRightOfUseAsset	31463000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Right Of Use Asset FinanceLeaseRightOfUseAsset	31463000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Current FinanceLeaseLiabilityCurrent	1070000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Noncurrent FinanceLeaseLiabilityNoncurrent	13956000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability FinanceLeaseLiability	15026000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Finance Lease Remaining Lease Term LesseeFinanceLeaseRemainingLeaseTerm	P9Y6M
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Payments Due Next Twelve Months FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueNextTwelveMonths	1797000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Payments Due Year Two FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearTwo	1851000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Payments Due Year Three FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearThree	1905000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Payments Due Year Four FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearFour	1959000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Payments Due Year Five FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearFive	2013000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Payments Due After Year Five FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueAfterYearFive	9532000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Payments Due FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDue	19057000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Undiscounted Excess Amount FinanceLeaseLiabilityUndiscountedExcessAmount	4031000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability FinanceLeaseLiability	15026000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Current FinanceLeaseLiabilityCurrent	1070000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finance Lease Liability Noncurrent FinanceLeaseLiabilityNoncurrent	13956000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	13400000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due Current CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent	1739000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due In Two Years CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears	1792000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due In Three Years CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears	1846000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due In Four Years CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears	1900000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due In Five Years CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears	1954000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due Thereafter CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter	11712000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue	20943000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Gross Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill	50150000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Accumulated Amortization FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization	100000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Net Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill	50050000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Gross Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill	62654000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Accumulated Amortization FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization	141000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Net Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill	62513000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Impairment Of Intangible Assets Indefinitelived Excluding Goodwill ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsIndefinitelivedExcludingGoodwill	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Impairment Of Intangible Assets Indefinitelived Excluding Goodwill ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsIndefinitelivedExcludingGoodwill	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Impairment Of Intangible Assets Finitelived ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsFinitelived	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Impairment Of Intangible Assets Finitelived ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsFinitelived	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Next Twelve Months FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseNextTwelveMonths	1816000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Two FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearTwo	7163000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Three FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearThree	7143000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Four FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearFour	7143000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Five FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearFive	7143000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense After Year Five FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseAfterYearFive	19642000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Net FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet	50050000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Current LongTermDebtCurrent	4100000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Current LongTermDebtCurrent	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Noncurrent LongTermDebtNoncurrent	0	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Noncurrent LongTermDebtNoncurrent	4100000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt LongTermDebt	4100000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Examination Penalties And Interest Expense IncomeTaxExaminationPenaltiesAndInterestExpense	0	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt LongTermDebt	4100000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Debt Instrument Interest Rate Stated Percentage DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage	0.0300
CY2020Q4	nkla	Common Stock And Preferred Stock Shares Authorized CommonStockAndPreferredStockSharesAuthorized	750000000	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Authorized CommonStockSharesAuthorized	600000000	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Shares Authorized PreferredStockSharesAuthorized	150000000	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Common Stock ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock	1500000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Shares New Issues StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues	22877806	shares
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Common Stock ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock	263100000	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Number Of Shares Authorized ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized	42802865	shares
CY2020Q2	nkla	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Maximum Period Of Annual Share Authorization Increases ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardMaximumPeriodOfAnnualShareAuthorizationIncreases	P10Y
CY2020Q2	nkla	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Number Of Shares Authorized Maximum Annual Percentage Increase ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorizedMaximumAnnualPercentageIncrease	0.025
CY2017Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber	18260484	shares
CY2017Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice	1.58
CY2017	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term2 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2	P9Y4M6D
CY2017Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Gross ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross	25791263	shares
CY2018	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	1.05
CY2018	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Shares Stock Options Exercised StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised	0	shares
CY2018	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercises In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	0
CY2018	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures And Expirations In Period ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriod	18260484	shares
CY2018	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures And Expirations In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	1.58
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber	25791263	shares
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice	1.05
CY2018	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term2 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2	P9Y6M14D
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue	24720000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Gross ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross	14553811	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	1.14
CY2019	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Shares Stock Options Exercised StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised	1266	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercises In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	1.05
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures And Expirations In Period ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriod	330983	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures And Expirations In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	1.06
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber	40012825	shares
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice	1.08
CY2019	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term2 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2	P8Y9M10D
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue	99999000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Gross ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross	1582496	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	5.31
CY2020	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Shares Stock Options Exercised StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised	8716423	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercises In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	1.13
CY2020	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Vested In Period Fair Value1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedInPeriodFairValue1	27000000.0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Vested In Period Fair Value1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedInPeriodFairValue1	4000000.0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Vested In Period Fair Value1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedInPeriodFairValue1	4300000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures And Expirations In Period ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriod	349674	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures And Expirations In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	1.31
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber	32529224	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice	1.28
CY2020	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term2 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2	P7Y9M25D
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue	454668000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercisable Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber	30868124	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercisable Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice	1.23
CY2020	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Exercisable Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm1	P7Y9M14D
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Exercisable Intrinsic Value1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1	433198000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue	6.92
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue	0.75
CY2018	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue	0.39
CY2020	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Shares Stock Options Exercised StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised	8716423	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Shares Stock Options Exercised StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised	1266	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercises In Period Total Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue	132700000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Shares Stock Options Exercised StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised	0	shares
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Accelerated Compensation Cost ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAcceleratedCompensationCost	8100000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense	137991000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense	4858000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense	3843000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Employee Service Share Based Compensation Nonvested Awards Total Compensation Cost Not Yet Recognized EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized	397284000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Defined Contribution Plan Cost Recognized DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Defined Contribution Plan Cost Recognized DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Defined Contribution Plan Cost Recognized DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-1000000.0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	200000	USD
CY2019	nkla	Deferred Income Tax Expense DeferredIncomeTaxExpense	150000	USD
CY2018	nkla	Deferred Income Tax Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxBenefit	2003000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Current Federal Tax Expense Benefit CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit	36000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Current Federal Tax Expense Benefit CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Current Federal Tax Expense Benefit CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Current State And Local Tax Expense Benefit CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit	1000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Current State And Local Tax Expense Benefit CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit	1000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Current State And Local Tax Expense Benefit CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit	1000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Current Income Tax Expense Benefit CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	37000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Current Income Tax Expense Benefit CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	1000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Current Income Tax Expense Benefit CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	1000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-492000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	43000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-1963000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Deferred State And Local Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-571000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Deferred State And Local Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	107000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Deferred State And Local Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-40000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-1063000	USD
CY2019	nkla	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Research And Development Credit Net Uncertain Tax Position Amount EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseResearchAndDevelopmentCreditNetUncertainTaxPositionAmount	-5915000	USD
CY2018	nkla	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Research And Development Credit Net Uncertain Tax Position Amount EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseResearchAndDevelopmentCreditNetUncertainTaxPositionAmount	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Other Adjustments IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments	408000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-1026000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	151000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-2002000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Income Tax Expense Benefit At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	-80922000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Income Tax Expense Benefit At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	-18586000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Income Tax Expense Benefit At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	-13922000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	-14052000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	-4649000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	-2419000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Share Based Compensation Excess Tax Benefit Amount EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationShareBasedCompensationExcessTaxBenefitAmount	-7652000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Share Based Compensation Excess Tax Benefit Amount EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationShareBasedCompensationExcessTaxBenefitAmount	556000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Share Based Compensation Excess Tax Benefit Amount EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationShareBasedCompensationExcessTaxBenefitAmount	161000	USD
CY2020	nkla	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Excess Executive Compensation Amount EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseExcessExecutiveCompensationAmount	1834000	USD
CY2019	nkla	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Excess Executive Compensation Amount EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseExcessExecutiveCompensationAmount	0	USD
CY2018	nkla	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Excess Executive Compensation Amount EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseExcessExecutiveCompensationAmount	0	USD
CY2020	nkla	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Research And Development Credit Net Uncertain Tax Position Amount EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseResearchAndDevelopmentCreditNetUncertainTaxPositionAmount	-14945000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Examination Penalties And Interest Expense IncomeTaxExaminationPenaltiesAndInterestExpense	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Other Adjustments IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments	915000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Income Tax Examination Penalties And Interest Expense IncomeTaxExaminationPenaltiesAndInterestExpense	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Other Adjustments IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments	1000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Change In Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	114303000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Change In Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	27830000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Change In Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	14177000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-1026000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	151000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-2002000	USD
CY2020Q4	nkla	Deferred Tax Assets Federal And State Taxes DeferredTaxAssetsFederalAndStateTaxes	21279000	USD
CY2019Q4	nkla	Deferred Tax Assets Federal And State Taxes DeferredTaxAssetsFederalAndStateTaxes	6334000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Operating Loss Carryforwards DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards	132471000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Operating Loss Carryforwards DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards	41444000	USD
CY2020Q4	nkla	Deferred Tax Asset Start Up Costs Capitalized DeferredTaxAssetStartUpCostsCapitalized	1490000	USD
CY2019Q4	nkla	Deferred Tax Asset Start Up Costs Capitalized DeferredTaxAssetStartUpCostsCapitalized	1157000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Tax Deferred Expense Compensation And Benefits Share Based Compensation Cost DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsShareBasedCompensationCost	8260000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Goodwill And Intangible Assets Intangible Assets DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsIntangibleAssets	3277000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Tax Deferred Expense Compensation And Benefits Share Based Compensation Cost DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsShareBasedCompensationCost	1816000	USD
CY2020Q4	nkla	Deferred Tax Asset Tennant Allowance DeferredTaxAssetTennantAllowance	0	USD
CY2019Q4	nkla	Deferred Tax Asset Tennant Allowance DeferredTaxAssetTennantAllowance	3075000	USD
CY2020Q4	nkla	Deferred Tax Asset Finance Lease Liability DeferredTaxAssetFinanceLeaseLiability	3718000	USD
CY2019Q4	nkla	Deferred Tax Asset Finance Lease Liability DeferredTaxAssetFinanceLeaseLiability	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Property Plant And Equipment DeferredTaxAssetsPropertyPlantAndEquipment	4069000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Property Plant And Equipment DeferredTaxAssetsPropertyPlantAndEquipment	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Tax Deferred Expense Other DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseOther	0	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Tax Deferred Expense Other DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseOther	104000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Gross DeferredTaxAssetsGross	171287000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Gross DeferredTaxAssetsGross	53930000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	162496000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	47672000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Net DeferredTaxAssetsNet	8791000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Net DeferredTaxAssetsNet	6258000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Goodwill And Intangible Assets Intangible Assets DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsIntangibleAssets	1020000	USD
CY2020Q4	nkla	Deferred Tax Liabilities Finance Lease Asset DeferredTaxLiabilitiesFinanceLeaseAsset	7786000	USD
CY2019Q4	nkla	Deferred Tax Liabilities Finance Lease Asset DeferredTaxLiabilitiesFinanceLeaseAsset	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Property Plant And Equipment DeferredTaxLiabilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipment	0	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Property Plant And Equipment DeferredTaxLiabilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipment	4053000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Other DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther	-7000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Other DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Liabilities DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilities	8799000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Liabilities DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilities	7330000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities DeferredTaxLiabilities	8000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities DeferredTaxLiabilities	1072000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	162500000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	47700000	USD
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	19800000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Operating Loss Carryforwards State And Local DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsStateAndLocal	546800000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Tax Credit Carryforward Amount TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount	19100000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Tax Credit Carryforward Amount TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount	11400000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	432000	USD
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	140000	USD
CY2017Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	140000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Increases Resulting From Current Period Tax Positions UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions	5622000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Increases Resulting From Current Period Tax Positions UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions	292000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Increases Resulting From Current Period Tax Positions UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Increases Resulting From Prior Period Tax Positions UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	1338000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Increases Resulting From Prior Period Tax Positions UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	0	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Increases Resulting From Prior Period Tax Positions UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	7392000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	432000	USD
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	140000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	7400000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	400000	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Professional Fees ProfessionalFees	3000000.0	USD
CY2020Q3	nkla	Number Of Class Action Lawsuits NumberOfClassActionLawsuits	6	lawsuit
CY2020Q3	nkla	Number Of Derivative Actions NumberOfDerivativeActions	2	derivativeAction
CY2020Q4	nkla	Period Of Derivative Action PeriodOfDerivativeAction	P30D
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Purchase Obligation PurchaseObligation	31161000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Purchase Obligation Due In Next Twelve Months PurchaseObligationDueInNextTwelveMonths	21758000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Purchase Obligation Due In Second And Third Year PurchaseObligationDueInSecondAndThirdYear	9403000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Purchase Obligation Due In Fourth And Fifth Year PurchaseObligationDueInFourthAndFifthYear	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Purchase Obligation Due After Fifth Year PurchaseObligationDueAfterFifthYear	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Contractual Obligation ContractualObligation	31161000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Contractual Obligation Due In Next Twelve Months ContractualObligationDueInNextTwelveMonths	21758000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Contractual Obligation Due In Second And Third Year ContractualObligationDueInSecondAndThirdYear	9403000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Contractual Obligation Due In Fourth And Fifth Year ContractualObligationDueInFourthAndFifthYear	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Contractual Obligation Due After Fifth Year ContractualObligationDueAfterFifthYear	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-384314000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-88656000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-64293000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	13407000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	16816000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	166000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	-397721000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-397721000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-105472000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	-105472000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	-64459000	USD
CY2018	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-64459000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	335325271	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	262528769	shares
CY2018	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	226465041	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-1.19
CY2019	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.40
CY2018	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.28
CY2020	us-gaap	Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount	51634382	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount	40012825	shares
CY2018	us-gaap	Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount	25791263	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Revenue From Contract With Customer Excluding Assessed Tax RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax	0	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Revenue From Contract With Customer Excluding Assessed Tax RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax	0	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Revenue From Contract With Customer Excluding Assessed Tax RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax	36000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Revenue From Contract With Customer Excluding Assessed Tax RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax	58000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Revenue From Contract With Customer Excluding Assessed Tax RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax	49000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Revenue From Contract With Customer Excluding Assessed Tax RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax	296000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Revenue From Contract With Customer Excluding Assessed Tax RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax	13000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Revenue From Contract With Customer Excluding Assessed Tax RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax	124000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cost Of Revenue CostOfRevenue	0	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Cost Of Revenue CostOfRevenue	0	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Cost Of Revenue CostOfRevenue	30000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Cost Of Revenue CostOfRevenue	43000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Cost Of Revenue CostOfRevenue	44000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Cost Of Revenue CostOfRevenue	141000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Cost Of Revenue CostOfRevenue	24000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Cost Of Revenue CostOfRevenue	62000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Gross Profit GrossProfit	0	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Gross Profit GrossProfit	0	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Gross Profit GrossProfit	6000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Gross Profit GrossProfit	15000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Gross Profit GrossProfit	5000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Gross Profit GrossProfit	155000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Gross Profit GrossProfit	-11000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Gross Profit GrossProfit	62000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Research And Development Expense ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	67521000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Research And Development Expense ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	51496000	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Research And Development Expense ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	42525000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Research And Development Expense ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	24077000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Research And Development Expense ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	22781000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Research And Development Expense ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	9482000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Research And Development Expense ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	11854000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Research And Development Expense ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	23397000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Selling General And Administrative Expense SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	64903000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Selling General And Administrative Expense SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	65782000	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Selling General And Administrative Expense SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	44104000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Selling General And Administrative Expense SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	7935000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Selling General And Administrative Expense SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	5154000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Selling General And Administrative Expense SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	3693000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Selling General And Administrative Expense SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	5344000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Selling General And Administrative Expense SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	6501000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	14415000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	0	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	0	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	0	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	0	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	0	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	0	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Expenses OperatingExpenses	146839000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Operating Expenses OperatingExpenses	117278000	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Operating Expenses OperatingExpenses	86629000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Operating Expenses OperatingExpenses	32012000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Operating Expenses OperatingExpenses	27935000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Operating Expenses OperatingExpenses	13175000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Operating Expenses OperatingExpenses	17198000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Operating Expenses OperatingExpenses	29898000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	-146839000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	-117278000	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	-86623000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	-31997000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	-27930000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	-13020000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	-17209000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	-29836000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Interest Income Expense Nonoperating Net InterestIncomeExpenseNonoperatingNet	-53000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Interest Income Expense Nonoperating Net InterestIncomeExpenseNonoperatingNet	171000	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Interest Income Expense Nonoperating Net InterestIncomeExpenseNonoperatingNet	22000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Interest Income Expense Nonoperating Net InterestIncomeExpenseNonoperatingNet	62000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Interest Income Expense Nonoperating Net InterestIncomeExpenseNonoperatingNet	374000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Interest Income Expense Nonoperating Net InterestIncomeExpenseNonoperatingNet	411000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Interest Income Expense Nonoperating Net InterestIncomeExpenseNonoperatingNet	338000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Interest Income Expense Nonoperating Net InterestIncomeExpenseNonoperatingNet	333000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Fair Value Adjustment Of Warrants FairValueAdjustmentOfWarrants	0	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Fair Value Adjustment Of Warrants FairValueAdjustmentOfWarrants	0	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Fair Value Adjustment Of Warrants FairValueAdjustmentOfWarrants	0	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Fair Value Adjustment Of Warrants FairValueAdjustmentOfWarrants	0	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Fair Value Adjustment Of Warrants FairValueAdjustmentOfWarrants	0	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Fair Value Adjustment Of Warrants FairValueAdjustmentOfWarrants	2844000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Fair Value Adjustment Of Warrants FairValueAdjustmentOfWarrants	-98000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Fair Value Adjustment Of Warrants FairValueAdjustmentOfWarrants	593000	USD
CY2020Q4	nkla	Gain Loss On Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption GainLossOnFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	0	USD
CY2020Q3	nkla	Gain Loss On Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption GainLossOnFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	0	USD
CY2020Q2	nkla	Gain Loss On Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption GainLossOnFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	0	USD
CY2020Q1	nkla	Gain Loss On Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption GainLossOnFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	-1324000	USD
CY2019Q4	nkla	Gain Loss On Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption GainLossOnFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	0	USD
CY2019Q3	nkla	Gain Loss On Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption GainLossOnFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	0	USD
CY2019Q2	nkla	Gain Loss On Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption GainLossOnFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	0	USD
CY2019Q1	nkla	Gain Loss On Financial Instruments Subject To Mandatory Redemption GainLossOnFinancialInstrumentsSubjectToMandatoryRedemption	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	-597000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	-340000	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	-23000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	114000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	1278000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	85000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	9000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	1000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Minority Interest And Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-147489000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Minority Interest And Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-117447000	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Minority Interest And Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-86624000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Minority Interest And Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-33145000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Minority Interest And Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-26278000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Minority Interest And Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-15368000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Minority Interest And Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-16764000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Minority Interest And Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-30095000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-1030000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	2000	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	1000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	1000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	1000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	146000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	2000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	2000	USD
CY2020Q4	nkla	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Equity Method Investments Noncontrolling Interest Net Of Tax IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeEquityMethodInvestmentsNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax	-146459000	USD
CY2020Q3	nkla	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Equity Method Investments Noncontrolling Interest Net Of Tax IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeEquityMethodInvestmentsNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax	-117449000	USD
CY2020Q2	nkla	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Equity Method Investments Noncontrolling Interest Net Of Tax IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeEquityMethodInvestmentsNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax	-86625000	USD
CY2020Q1	nkla	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Equity Method Investments Noncontrolling Interest Net Of Tax IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeEquityMethodInvestmentsNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax	-33146000	USD
CY2019Q4	nkla	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Equity Method Investments Noncontrolling Interest Net Of Tax IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeEquityMethodInvestmentsNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax	-26279000	USD
CY2019Q3	nkla	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Equity Method Investments Noncontrolling Interest Net Of Tax IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeEquityMethodInvestmentsNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax	-15514000	USD
CY2019Q2	nkla	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Equity Method Investments Noncontrolling Interest Net Of Tax IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeEquityMethodInvestmentsNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax	-16766000	USD
CY2019Q1	nkla	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Equity Method Investments Noncontrolling Interest Net Of Tax IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeEquityMethodInvestmentsNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax	-30097000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-637000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	0	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	0	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	0	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	0	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	0	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	0	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-147096000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-117449000	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-86625000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-33146000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-26279000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-15514000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-16766000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-30097000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	0	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	0	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	13407000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	0	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	16816000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	0	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	0	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Redemption Premium PreferredStockRedemptionPremium	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	-147096000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-147096000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-117449000	USD
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	-117449000	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	-100032000	USD
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-100032000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	-33146000	USD
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-33146000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-43095000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	-43095000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	-15514000	USD
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-15514000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	-16766000	USD
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-16766000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	-30097000	USD
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-30097000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.38
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.31
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.33
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.12
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.16
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.06
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.06
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.12
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	385983645	shares
CY2020Q3	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	377660477	shares
CY2020Q2	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	303785616	shares
CY2020Q1	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	271896258	shares
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	268698455	shares
CY2019Q3	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	260534724	shares
CY2019Q2	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	260406343	shares
CY2019Q1	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	260406343	shares

Files In Submission

Name	View Source	Status
0001731289-21-000006-index-headers.html	Edgar Link	pending
0001731289-21-000006-index.html	Edgar Link	pending
0001731289-21-000006.txt	Edgar Link	pending
0001731289-21-000006-xbrl.zip	Edgar Link	pending
exhibit1034pkozinerexecuti.htm	Edgar Link	pending
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nkla-20201231_htm.xml	Edgar Link	completed
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$NKLA
Nikola Corp Stock $nkla

2020 Q4 Form 10-K Financial Statement

#000173128921000006 Filed on February 25, 2021

Income Statement

Balance Sheet

Cashflow Statement

Facts In Submission

Files In Submission

$NKLA Nikola Corp Stock $nkla

2020 Q4 Form 10-K Financial Statement

#000173128921000006 Filed on February 25, 2021

Income Statement

Balance Sheet

Cashflow Statement

Facts In Submission

Files In Submission

$NKLA
Nikola Corp Stock $nkla