- GM’s Next Gen tactical truck merges diesel power with electric motors, delivering hybrid functionality for covert missions.
- Equipped with Silent Drive mode and electric range, the vehicle ensures stealthy ingress and egress through dangerous areas.
- Built for multiple missions, GM’s military Silverado retains critical civilian safety features like stability control and ABS.
Beneath the hulking, armored exterior of GM Defense’s new ‘Next Gen’ tactical vehicle prototype lies something familiar but with a twist: a Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD ZR2. Yet, referring to this as just another Silverado would be like calling a tank a mere truck.
Like the road-going model, the military version features GM’s 2.8-liter Duramax turbo-diesel engine. But unlike a ZR2 you can buy from a dealership, the 2.8-liter is supplemented by electric motors at the front and rear axles as well as a 12-module battery pack, meaning the brutish truck can be driven in all-electric mode.
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This is very handy in the battlefield. GM notes the Silent Drive and Silent Watch functions allow for “stealthy ingress and egress through high threat zones” and that the battery system offers enough power for all the sensors, shooters, and a Soldier kit. Though GM hasn’t disclosed how far the vehicle can travel on a single charge, it promises “tactically significant range with extended mission duration.”
Two, four, and six-seat versions will be produced and each example built will be optimized for a variety of missions, including command and control, countering unmanned aerial systems, casualty evacuation, and other critical missions. Plenty of safety features from the consumer-oriented Silverado have been retained, including roll-over protection, anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, and a 360-degree camera.
“Our Next Gen vehicle is a game-changing mobility solution that delivers tactically significant capabilities by integrating GM’s proven commercial technologies,” GM Defense president Steve duMont said. “This rugged and highly capable diesel-powered vehicle offers tactical advantages, such as Silent Operations, exportable power, and increased range with extended mission duration. Our warfighters deserve the latest technology that industry can offer in order to gain and maintain competitive advantage over our adversaries. Our Next Gen mobility solution can be customized and fielded now.”
GM’s latest tactical innovation is currently on display at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual meeting and expo in Washington, D.C., a prime showcase for what’s coming next in military mobility.
