GM’s new army truck is an electrical Silverado HD with diesel fumes

• Diesel engine seems to cost solely, with electrical motors offering propulsion
• The method balances army gasoline infrastructure with stealthier electrical propulsion
• GM beforehand deserted truck hybrids however this yr confirmed PHEVs are coming

Common Motors has turned a Chevrolet Silverado heavy-duty pickup truck right into a combat-ready hybrid.

Unveiled this week on the annual assembly of the Affiliation of the U.S. Military (AUSA), the GM Subsequent Gen tactical car prototype relies on the off-road-focused Chevy Silverado 2500HD ZR2. However as a substitute of the gasoline or diesel V-8 engines of civilian fashions, the tactical truck combines a smaller 2.8-liter turbodiesel inline-4 with a 12-module battery pack and electrical motors powering the entrance and rear axles.

GM’s light-on-details description of the challenge sounds related in method to the plug-in hybrid system used within the defunct Chevrolet Volt, by which the engine is primarily used as a generator for electrical motors that present most of the particular propulsion. On this case, they could present all the propulsion, which might make it a sequence hybrid.

Assuming the modules on this battery pack are the identical large-format pouch-cell modules GM beforehand termed Ultium, this may provide about the identical 102-kwh battery capability—sufficient to go greater than 100 miles all-electric, even in a cumbersome armored army truck.

GM deserted hybrids of any sort a couple of years in the past, however earlier this yr it indicated it will convey plug-in hybrid powertrains again.

The electrified powertrain provides a number of benefits, in response to the corporate, together with the flexibility to silently ingress and egress from harmful areas, and a decrease thermal signature that additionally makes the truck more durable to detect. Use of a diesel engine additionally makes logistics easier, for the reason that truck can make the most of current army fueling infrastructure if charging is not accessible, GM argues.

GM Protection Subsequent Gen tactical car prototype

The battery pack may also be used as an influence supply for gear, and the truck retains lots of the driver aids from civilian fashions, together with antilock brakes, stability management, and a 360-degree digicam system. It is accessible in two-, four- and six-seat configurations.

GM has tried to repurpose a few of its different EV tech for army purposes. In 2021, the automaker introduced plans to construct prototypes of an all-electric army car primarily based on the GMC Hummer EV, and unveiled an idea model in 2023. Earlier this yr, GM additionally mentioned it was supplying batteries to the army for analysis functions, however primarily taking a look at power storage fairly than electrical automobiles.