The Hummer H1 was based mostly on a army truck, and now it seems GM is able to return the favor. GM Defense president Steve duMont told CNBC the corporate deliberate to construct a army automobile prototype based mostly on the upcoming Hummer EV. The eLRV, or electrical Light Reconnaissance Vehicle, would modify the Hummer’s body, motors and Ultium batteries to swimsuit US army necessities.

The prototype needs to be prepared someday in 2022. There’s no assure American armed forces will use the eLRV, nonetheless. The Army continues to be exploring the viability of EVs like this, and GM must meet formal necessities (together with a rival producer) if and after they exist. A selection is due someday within the mid-2020s.

Any army EV faces logistical challenges, not less than for machines on the entrance strains. Soldiers could not simply discover a charging station on the battlefield, for starters — they’d want transportable charging methods that are not depending on a working electrical grid. DuMont stated GM might present combustion-powered charging methods. We’d add that temperatures considerably have an effect on EV vary, and swappable batteries (essential for fast turnarounds and repairs) are nonetheless of their relative infancy.

There could possibly be benefits to army EV adoption. They may enhance general emissions, even when the necessity for combustion-based chargers partly offset that benefit. EVs typically require much less upkeep because of fewer transferring components. And their quiet operation could possibly be extraordinarily helpful for recon and stealth missions the place typical rides can be too noisy. The problem is to take advantage of these benefits whereas minimizing drawbacks that might harm operational speeds.