General Motors Company (GMC) supplies electric vehicles to the United States Army (US Army) in the form of the Hummer EV. The vehicle is capable of cruising as far as 530 km to carry out light to heavy duty in operational and garrison environments.
Previously the US Army selected startup company Canoo to supply electric vehicles to be used for various purposes. Now GM Defense, the division of General Motors responsible for military products, will also supply the Army with vehicles powered only by electricity.
GM Defense this week announced that it will supply the GMC Hummer EV in response to the Army’s request for an electric vehicle. This electric vehicle is expected to be able to carry out light to heavy tasks in operational and garrison environments.
The request is part of the Army’s strategy to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. The Army is also evaluating a vehicle powered by a hydrogen fuel cell that GM Defense also supplies, the fuel cell-equipped Chevrolet Colorado.
Hummer as a brand was originally founded in 1992 to offer a civilian version of the Humvee originally developed for the military by AM General. However, this time it was the other way around, vehicles originally developed for civilian use were supplied to military needs.
GM Defense has not said whether to supply the standard Hummer EV, or one specifically built for military applications, as does the fuel cell-equipped Colorado concept. The standard Hummer EV certainly delivers all the performance required for a military vehicle, assuming the charging infrastructure is in place.
The top-of-the-range model makes 1,000 hp, a 0-60 mph time in three seconds, and a good battery for a range of 329 miles (530 km) and high-speed charging of up to 350 kilowatts. The high kw rating means 100 miles of range can be added in just 10 minutes of charging.
