American Rheinmetall was awarded an 18-month U.S. Army contract to develop and deliver an autonomous hybrid ground vehicle.
The defense contractor will use Harbinger’s extended-range plug-in hybrid platform, which was designed in the U.S.
The platform uses a small gas engine in conjunction with a large high-voltage battery and an electric motor.
The U.S. Army wants a new wave of vehicles that can haul stuff in dangerous areas—silently and without anyone getting hurt. To make it happen, the Army just awarded an 18-month contract to American Rheinmetall to develop and deliver the next generation of uncrewed ground vehicles (UGV), which will use a plug-in hybrid powertrain developed by California’s Harbinger.
Harbinger is known for its hybrid chassis, which can be used for a variety of commercial vehicles, and has recently been adapted for military purposes. The setup pairs a high-torque electric motor with a compact gas engine that can recharge the batteries when there’s no charger available, or can supply external power. Despite its maker billing it as a plug-in hybrid setup, it’s actually an extended-range EV because there’s no physical connection between the gas engine and the wheels.
