GM is building prototype military vehicles based on the GMC Hummer EV
The Department of Defence is looking to incorporate more EVs to its fleet
Several manufacturers have been asked to submit a vehicle for testing
The original Hummer had been designed by AM General, a division of AMC, specifically for use by the American military back in the 80s.
Over time, the Hummer became popular with eccentric people and General Motors bought the company and added models only aimed towards civilian publics.
HUMMER H1 | Photo: General Motors
The brand folded during the 2009 recession, but GM decided to reintroduce the Hummer as an electric pickup for 2022.
In addition to recapturing many of the original Hummer’s trait, such as its off-road capabilities, the new Hummer EV could resume military service.
Indeed, the Department of Defence, the American agency in charge of everything that relates to the army, asked automakers to come up with electric vehicles that could be used by the armed forces, both as tactical and non-tactical vehicles.
General Motors was one of the companies which responded and its plans include the eLRV, a tactical vehicle based on the Hummer EV.
This vehicle will have improved off-roading abilities and it will most likely look very different from the consumer version, but it will retain the same motors and Ultium battery.
The Department of Defence will evaluate each vehicle to determine which design is the best for its application and this company will get the contract to supply the military.
Electrifying the non-tactical fleet of the army is likely to happen soon because current electric vehicles are suitable for this use, but the tactical fleet could take much longer.
This is because of the constraints related to charging electric vehicles on the battle field. Most of the times, there is no reliable access to electricity for troops to charge their vehicles close to the base. A solution could be to have trucks with generators that could follow them around, but then, the charging times are still an issue, especially in combat zones.
