Looks like it didn’t take long for the Hummer to re-enlist. The U.S. military is looking to build an eLRV or Electric Light Reconnaissance Vehicle. It sent out information requests on how to produce this kind of vehicle to multiple manufacturers, most recently taking a look at the upcoming Hummer EV as a platform.
The news comes from an even that took place at the General Motors Warren Technical Center today, Veterans Day, which hosted US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks.
President Biden’s Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary of Defense have expressed interest electric military vehicles, per a CNBC report. And we may soon see such a vehicle from GM Defense, as the US Army has put out information requests on how to make electric light reconnaissance vehicle a reality.
Screenshot via GM Design Instagram.## The Road To Building A Hummer EV-Based GM Defense eLRV
In May of 2021, 10 companies, including General Motors, demonstrated the possibilities electric vehicles through hands-on off-road test drive events, in which both defense contractors and the military drive various electric vehicles to gauge their potential. From there, two companies will be selected to manufacture the vehicle. That decision is not expected until 2025.
For this, GM Defense built a prototype of an electric Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV), using the battery pack of a Chevrolet Bolt EV. But with the rollout of the Hummer EV, and new Ultium battery technology, that concept appears to be evolving.
GM Defense is no stranger to the contract bidding process, winning its first major $214.3 million contract last year to build an infantry squad vehicle fleet for the US Army. It utilized the architecture of the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 for that project. But as you can see in the video below, the GM Defense ISV looks nothing like the road-going truck we can buy at the dealership. The same sort of changes should be expected for a Hummer EV-based GM Defense eLRV.
Per the CNBC report, US Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks noted the quietness of EVs as well as the lower emissions as positives, while uncertainties around charging and retrofitting current military operations for electric vehicles are major headwinds for full-scale applications. The politician noted that electrifying the military’s non-tactical fleet is a “no brainer.”
The GM Defense ISV at the 2019 SEMA Show. Image copyright Manoli Katakis, Muscle Cars & Trucks.
