The launch event will take place at the fall meeting of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) in Washington, D.C. The vehicle is being developed under an agreement between TARDEC and GM signed in 2015, enabling TARDEC to access consumer-driven automotive technology for use in military applications while providing GM with feedback on non-standard fuel cell-technology applications.
The Army will use the vehicle to demonstrate the capabilities a fuel cell electric powertrain can bring to the military, including quieter mobility, exportable power generation, low-end torque and water generation. The Army intends to conduct user assessments and demonstrations in 2017.
“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. With fuel cell technology advancing, it's an ideal time to investigate its viability in extreme military-use conditions. 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.”
Charlie Freese, executive director of GM's Global Fuel Cell Activities, added that the project is another example of how fuel cell propulsion can play a role in non-traditional applications and that the company needs to continue pursuing these opportunities along with its plans for production of a commercial fuel cell programme in or around 2020.
Neither GM nor TARDEC released vehicle specifics, but Rogers said the vehicle is not a candidate to succeed the Humvee in the field.
Headquartered at the US Army Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Mich., TARDEC is a major research, development and engineering centre for the Army Materiel Command's Research, Development and Engineering Command and an enterprise partner in the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command. It is the main US laboratory for advanced military automotive technology, serving as the Ground Systems Integrator for all Defense Department manned and unmanned ground vehicle systems.
Image: US Army REDECOM
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US Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC)
