La empresa Automotriz OSHKOSH Defense anunci\u00f3 que ofrecer\u00e1 una versi\u00f3n h\u00edbrida del Veh\u00edculo T\u00e1ctico Liiviano a ruedas (JLTV).\u00a0 Denominado \u201ceJLTV\u201d, integra tecnolog\u00eda de propulsi\u00f3n \u201cEl\u00e9ctrica- Hibrida\u201d, lo que contribuir\u00eda a minimizar el problema de la recarga de bater\u00edas en los veh\u00edculos de combate en operaciones. Esa limitaci\u00f3n, es una de las razones que retrasan la incorporaci\u00f3n de los veh\u00edculos el\u00e9ctricos en las organizaciones militares. Tanto el US Army como US Marines, operan cerca de 15.000 JLTV\u00a0 con motores diesel y, si bien a\u00fan no han solicitado veh\u00edculos el\u00e9ctricos a OshKosh, la oferta es motivo de an\u00e1lisis y evaluaci\u00f3n. El \u201ceJLTV\u201c permitir\u00eda ahorro de combustible y hasta 30 minutos de \u201cmarcha silenciosa\u201d, una ventaja nada despreciable para determinadas misiones operativas.<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON: Oshkosh Defense announced today that it will offer the\u00a0first hybrid electric version<\/a>\u00a0of its Joint Light Tactical Vehicle that it says can operate silently and without the need for battlefield recharging, a major impediment to EVs in a combat zone.<\/p>\n The eJLTV, integrates hybrid-electric technology onto its\u00a0current diesel JLTV<\/a>, of which the\u00a0Wisconsin-based manufacturer<\/a>\u00a0has already built more than 15,000 for the Army and Marines Corps. Neither service has requested an electric vehicle variant, but that massive contract is being recompeted later this year, with\u00a0Oshkosh considered the frontrunner<\/a>\u00a0as the current prime.<\/p>\n \u201cWe developed the JLTV to offer our military customers an affordable way to electrify the light tactical wheeled vehicle fleet without compromising performance or protection,\u201d said John Bryant, executive vice president of Oshkosh Corporation and president of Oshkosh Defense, at a press conference.<\/p>\n The company says the eJLTV will offer soldiers and Marines 30 minutes of silent drive, in addition to \u201csilent watch\u201d and exportable power capabilities on the battlefield. The vehicle is built with lithium ion batteries that charge while the vehicle is operating in diesel mode, an important capability for the vehicles given the limitations on charging infrastructure on a battlefield. The battery can be fully recharged within 30 minutes, Oshkosh says.<\/p>\n According to an Oshkosh press release, the eJLTV improves fuel economy by 20% and maintains the same protection and mobility as the diesel JLTV. The electric battery has a capacity of 30 kilowatt hours \u201cwith opportunity for growth.\u201d The release also states that eJLTV eliminated a need for a towed generator because it provides an export power capacity up to 115 kWh.<\/p>\n \u201cThe warfighter has the option to seamlessly transition from silent mode to conventional mode and vice versa with just the flip of a switch, and you can do this while on the go,\u201d Bryant said.<\/p>\n An electric JLTV is not an Army requirement for its upcoming recompete, the Oshkosh Defense executives said. They said that they decided invest in the hybrid electric vehicle because of they could see it was going to be a future need.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been listening to senior leaders in the Army for a few years and we\u2019ve talked at great length about what electrification brings to the table, what silent drive can bring to the table, what that extended silent watch can do, what the needs for increased export power can do,\u201d Bryant said.<\/p>\n He said that the company started designing eJLTV about 18 months ago. The company hasn\u2019t received any orders for the eJLTV, but said it does have the capability mass produce them should orders come.<\/p>\n The 15,000 JLTVs the company has manufactured can be retrofitted with the hybrid-electric technology \u201ceasily,\u201d according to Nader Nasr, VP or engineering at Oshkosh Defense, because of the modular architecture of the JLTV.<\/p>\n Bryant declined to name specific vendors providing electric batteries to Oshkosh, for \u201ccompetitive purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n The Army is expected to release its final request for proposal (RFP) for the JLTV recompete later this month. Bryant said he would be \u201cvery surprised\u201d if the service lists a requirement for a hybrid capability but said if the service wanted an electric JLTV, the company could built it \u201cright now.\u201d<\/p>\n Oshkosh Defense was recently awarded a different task order for\u00a0another 1,600 JLTVs<\/a>. George Mansfield, vice president and general manager of joint programs for Oshkosh Defense, said the Army and Marines can order JLTVs under the current contract through November 2023, with Oshkosh building those through the summer 2025. The new, $6.5 billion JLTV contract is scheduled to be awarded in September this year, with first deliveries 18 months after that, Mansfield said.<\/p>\n The Oshkosh eJLTV is another example of vehicle manufacturers eyeing\u00a0hybrid-electric technology<\/a>\u00a0for ground vehicles. BAE Systems is working on a hybrid Bradley prototype with the Army, while the GM Defense has built an electric infantry squad vehicle.<\/p>\n \u201cI do see it as a growing market for defense,\u201d Bryant said.<\/p>\n