Hoefelmann has over thirty years of experience in the hydrogen industry, having held executive positions at Air Liquide for decades and a stint at Plug Power. Most recently, he was the Global Head of Infrastructure Operations at Nikola, where he oversaw the restructuring of the infrastructure for hydrogen refueling stations under the HYLA brand.
As President of Nikola Energy, Hoefelmann will continue to broaden this work by managing the company’s energy business, which includes supply strategy, technology, dispensing, and development.
Ole is a well-respected global executive in the energy industry with a flawless background. According to Steve Girsky, President and CEO of Nikola, he has helped the company make considerable strides in creating its hydrogen highway in a few short months, starting in California and planning to expand across the U.S. and Canada. In 2024, we expect sales of our hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks to rise, so it’s critical that our energy initiatives keep pace. We have no doubt that Ole’s knowledge and customer-focused approach will be advantageous to our clients.
Over the next few weeks, Joe Cappello, a longtime pioneer in the hydrogen area who most recently served as President of Nikola Energy, will be leaving the organization and providing support to facilitate a seamless transition. Girsky expressed his best wishes for Joe’s continued advocacy of energy transitions and expansion and global use of hydrogen.
Hoefelmann, who is originally from Munich, Germany, has thirty years of experience in the hydrogen economy. He held positions at Air Liquide S.A. that required him to travel between the United States and Europe and handle both local and worldwide responsibilities. Hoefelmann began his career at Air Liquide in 1991 and rose through the ranks to become the company’s CEO for Iberia, COO for Industrial Customers U.S., Chairman for Air Liquide Advanced Materials, CEO for Advanced Technologies U.S., Vice President for Hydrogen Energy Americas, Vice President for Markets, Strategy, Innovation, Strategic Accounts, and Communication for the World Business Line Industrial Merchant. During his tenure, he oversaw up to 3,000 employees.
With Air Liquide, he developed strategies for commercializing hydrogen energy, influenced safety protocols and education, and accelerated growth in new markets, such as transportation, where he worked with some of the biggest automakers in the world to establish hydrogen production and refueling networks.
As General Manager of Plug Power’s Electrolyzer division, Hoefelmann joined the company in 2021 and is in charge of sales, product management, development, and business strategy. In addition, he served as vice chair of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association and chair of the California Fuel Cell Partnership. He was also an operating partner of Hy24, a sustainable hydrogen infrastructure investment platform.
Hoefelmann graduated from St. Mary’s College of California with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Master of Business Administration in International Business. He speaks fluent German, English, Spanish, and French.
Pioneering solutions for a zero-emissions world is Nikola Corporation’s stated objective. With its Class 8 vehicles, which include battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks, and its energy brand, HYLA, which is spearheading the development of the entire hydrogen refueling ecosystem, encompassing supply, distribution, and dispensing, Nikola, an integrated truck and energy company, is revolutionizing commercial transportation.
Nikola has a manufacturing facility located in Coolidge, Arizona, and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.
