Exhibit 5.1

January 4, 2021

Northern Genesis Acquisition Corp. II

4801 Main Street

Suite 1000

Kansas City, MO 64112

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Northern Genesis Acquisition Corp. II, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”), being filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Registration Statement relating to the registration of the offer and sale by the Company of (a) 30,000,000 units (the “Firm Units”) of the Company, each such unit consisting of one share of common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), and one-third of one warrant of the Company (each whole warrant, a “Warrant”); each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of Common Stock as specified in the Registration Statement, (b) up to an additional 4,500,000 units that the underwriters will have a right to purchase from the Company to cover over-allotments (the “Option Units” and, together with the Firm Units, the “Units”) and (c) all shares of Common Stock and all Warrants issued as part of the Units as specified in the Registration Statement.

In connection with this opinion, we have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such corporate and other records and documents as we considered appropriate including without limitation:

In our examination, we have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed or photostatic copies, the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents, that the form and content of all documents submitted to us as unexecuted drafts do not differ in any respect relevant to this opinion from the form and content of such documents as executed and delivered, and the enforceability of all documents submitted to us against parties other than the Company. We have assumed that there has been no oral or written modification of or amendment to any of the documents we have reviewed, and there has been no waiver of any provision of any of such documents, by action or omission of the parties or otherwise. As to any facts material to the opinions expressed herein which were not independently established or verified, we have relied upon oral or written statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and certificates of public officials, without independent verification of their accuracy.

On the basis of such examination, our reliance upon the assumptions in this opinion and our consideration of those questions of law we considered relevant, and subject to the limitations and qualifications in this opinion, we are of the opinion that:

The opinions set forth above are subject to the following exceptions, limitations and qualifications: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, preference, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors generally (including, without limitation, fraudulent conveyance laws); (ii) the effect of general principles of equity whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law, and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought (including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief), and (iii) the unenforceability under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability, or of any provision requiring the payment of attorneys’ fees, where such indemnification or contribution, or payment of attorneys’ fees, is contrary to law or public policy.

We do not express any opinion herein with respect to the laws of any jurisdiction other than, in each case subject to the limitations and assumptions contained herein, the Delaware Act and, solely with respect to the Units and Warrants, the laws of the State of New York.

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 16 of Form S-1 and Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act in connection with the Registration Statement, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement, the prospectus included in the Registration Statement, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the Units, Common Stock and Warrants. This opinion letter is rendered as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any obligation to advise you of facts, circumstances, events or developments that hereafter may be brought to our attention and that may alter, affect or modify the opinions expressed herein.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to Husch Blackwell LLP under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus constituting a part of such Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, nor do we thereby admit that we are experts with respect to any part of the Registration Statement or the prospectus included therein within the meaning of the term “experts” as used in the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.