GM's new fuel cell vehicle looks pretty mean. (Image courtesy of General Motors.)
Though GM and US Army have only released a shadowy image of their concept a few details are known about the vehicle. First, and most obviously, the concept will be powered by a fuel cell, making it capable of running green and able to double as a quiet electric generator for forward deployments of troops.
Additionally, the TARDEC transport will be built on the Chevy Colorado pickup truck frame, though from the looks of it this new vehicle is less truck and more ecofriendly SUV-Humvee hybrid.
”Hydrogen fuel cells as a power source have the potential to bring to the force incredibly valuable capabilities,” said TARDEC Director Paul Rogers. “We expect the vehicle to be quiet in operation and ready to provide electricity generation for needs away from the vehicle. Fuel cell propulsion has low-end torque capability that is useful in an off-road environment, it also offers additional characteristics attractive to both commercial and military off-road use.”
While no one has come out and admitted that the GM/TARDEC concept is ready to take the place of Humvees, it appears that the Army is looking for a vehicle that will eventual unseat one of the most abundant transport options in the military’s arsenal.
If fuel cell technology eventually matures to a point where the military can roll out thousands of these units, the savings the service would reap in fuel costs alone would be enormous. What’s more, if the fuel cells can be used to generate electricity, that would greatly simplify logistics for units in the field.
As per the Army’s directive, GM and TARDEC will continue to refine their current fuel cell technology with plans for a production model “in the 2020 time frame.” Whether that means 2020, or 2029 hasn’t been clarified by the US Army.
For more military tech news, find out how the US Navy railgun gets powered up.