BUSINESS COMBINATION - Reconciliation to Statement of Cash Flows and Statement of Equity (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash - PIPE	$ 525,000
Less: VectoIQ loan payoff in conjunction with close	(422)
Net Business Combination and PIPE financing	616,726	$ 0
Less: non-cash net liabilities assumed from VectoIQ	(221)	0
Accrued Business Combination and PIPE transaction costs	(285)	$ 0
Net contributions from Business Combination and PIPE financing	616,220
M&M Residual, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Repurchase and redemption of stock	(70,000)
Nimbus Holdings, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Repurchase and redemption of stock	(25,000)
VectoIQ
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash - VectoIQ's trust and cash (net of redemptions)	238,358
Less: transaction costs and advisory fees paid	(51,210)
Less: non-cash net liabilities assumed from VectoIQ	$ (221)

Cash Recapitalization, Net

No definition available.

Name:	nkla_CashRecapitalizationNet
Namespace Prefix:	nkla_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Proceeds From Recapitalization Transaction

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nkla_ProceedsFromRecapitalizationTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	nkla_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the acquisition of business during the period (for example, cash that was held by the acquired business).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashAcquiredFromAcquisition
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of debt issuance costs that were incurred during a noncash or partial noncash transaction.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121583591&loc=d3e4304-108586

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121583591&loc=d3e4313-108586

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121583591&loc=d3e4332-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtIssuanceCostsIncurredDuringNoncashOrPartialNoncashTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of [all] liabilities that an Entity assumes in acquiring a business or in consideration for an asset received in a noncash (or part noncash) acquisition. Noncash is defined as transactions during a period that affect recognized assets or liabilities but that do not result in cash receipts or cash payments in the period. "Part noncash" refers to that portion of the transaction not resulting in cash receipts or cash payments in the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121583591&loc=d3e4313-108586

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121583591&loc=d3e4304-108586

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121583591&loc=d3e4332-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NoncashOrPartNoncashAcquisitionValueOfLiabilitiesAssumed1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with other payments to acquire businesses including deposit on pending acquisitions and preacquisition costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherPaymentsToAcquireBusinesses
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow to reacquire common stock during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the amount received from entity's raising of capital via private rather than public placement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3255-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfPrivatePlacement
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow from the repayments of a long-term debt originally issued by another party but is assumed by the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RepaymentsOfAssumedDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=nkla_MMResidualLLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=nkla_NimbusHoldingsLLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=nkla_VectoIQMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: