Hybrid-electric military vehicles

From WikiCover

Announced August 16, 2007, the U.S. Army unveiled its first hybrid-electric propulsion system for a new fleet of Manned Ground Vehicles (MGVs), which will be tested and evaluated at the Army's Power and Energy Systems Integration Laboratory.

The Army is developing and building eight new MGV variants for fifteen Future Combat Systems Brigade Combat Teams (FCS BCTs). All eight commonly-designed MGV variants will provide Soldiers with enhanced survivability, increased speed and mobility, new network-based capabilities, and more modern, modular technology.

The Army is saving money by employing a common chassis across all eight MGV variants. Indeed, with 75-80 percent commonality, the MGV chassis significantly reduces design, production and sustainment costs verses the expense of eight completely different MGV variants.

For the first time, the Army will be integrating a functional hybrid-electric drive system into a combat vehicle. The drive system is part of the propulsion system that will power the vehicles.

The Army is using hybrid-electric power because the more modern FCS BCTs have much greater electrical power requirements than the current-force Heavy BCTs. Hybrid-electric vehicles provide the requisite electrical power because they employ a rechargeable energy storage system. An ancillary benefit of the hybrid-electric vehicles is improved fuel economy and less reliance on oil, natural gas, and other fossil fuels.