A startup has unveiled its hydrogen-electric truck that will the road in 2020 - here's a closer look

Startup Nikola Motor Company is going all-in on hydrogen - with a little electricity to go along for the ride.

Hydrogen-fueled vehicles have electric motors just like plug-in EVs. But the big difference is that for hydrogen vehicles, a fuel cell generates the electricity that powers the electric motors. Plug-in electric vehicles, like the Tesla Model S, come with a lithium-ion battery pack that keeps the car moving.

That's a fairly simplistic overview, as hydrogen-electric vehicles often come with smaller batteries that aren't used for general propulsion, but higher-performance demands. The general idea, however, is that hydrogen-powered vehicles rely primarily on the fuel cells for their main power.

Still, hydrogen-powered vehicles have been criticized. While they can deliver longer range and shorter refueling times than electric vehicles, the difficulty of making hydrogen and setting up a hydrogen-fueling infrastructure is a major drawback.

But Nikola Motor Company revealed its plan to overcome those hurdles and make its truck a reality on Thursday night. Scroll down for a closer look: