17. 07. 2023 | Kristýna Bezděková

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A new concept for an electric military vehicle offers a glimpse of GM Defense’s plans to enter the Army’s competition for an electric light reconnaissance vehicle prototype, launched in early June.

The roots of the original Hummer H1 can be traced back to an AM General military truck known as the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Humvee), which first entered service in 1983. Now it looks like the new GMC Hummer EV could reverse that process, as it was recently unveiled in a civilian version and is only now showing up as a concept version of the military version. It’s backed by General Motors’ military vehicle and technology-focused division, GM Defense. The new GM Defense concept debuted at the Modern Day Marine 2023 show held last week in Washington, D.C.

GM Defense officially calls the new concept the Electric Military Concept Vehicle, or eMCV, and is based on the GMC Hummer EV Pickup. It is part of GM Defense’s ongoing development of lightweight tactical wheeled vehicles with hybrid powertrains.

The concept uses the GMC Hummer EV’s powertrain architecture, specifically GM’s Ultium Drive electric motors and Ultium battery technology, providing flexibility and adaptability. GM Defense also suggests that the vehicle can use different battery formats and chemistries to meet changing needs. The vehicle offers seating for more than six passengers, as well as Silent Watch and Silent Drive modes with low acoustic and thermal footprints. On-board systems have quick responses thanks to instant torque delivery. In addition, they can supply energy to a variety of surrounding equipment.

A number of changes have been made when modified from the civilian GMC Hummer EV, which can be driven on the road, but the fundamentals remain the same. Specifications include a 212 kWh Ultium battery pack, three-motor drive and 1,000 horsepower, with enough range to cover more than 300 miles (480 km). The vehicle can also feature an on-board 12 kW diesel generator, allowing for emergency recharging. When connected to a fast-charging source, the new vehicle can gain approximately 100 miles (161 km) of range in just 12 minutes.
The Army’s eMCV concept has special wheels and 37″ all-terrain tires. Unspecified changes have also been made to the brakes and the modified body contributes to improved approach and descent angles. It also has a new tubular safety frame, Fox performance shock absorbers, side-mounted gun mounts and a 46″ ring for the swivel gun.

“The vehicle demonstrates GM Defense’s ability to leverage advanced commercial technologies to help global defense and government customers transition to a more electric, autonomous and connected future,” the company said. It is not yet clear whether the GM Defense e-MCV will be used by the U.S. military in the near future. The outcome of an Army competition will decide.

Source, photo: auto.cz

Kristýna Bezděková

Kristýna is a student of marketing and communication in an undergraduate program. She writes and translates content into the Czech language