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The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

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Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#21

Post by nullc »

Gibbon1 wrote: post #14
nordsieck wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably not. 1. Electric vehicles are a terrible fit for military operations 2. The actual HMMWV is a steaming pile of garbage. Not sure why the US Gov would want to buy an expensive version of the same thing 3. The HMMWV was recently replaced by the JLTV - it'll probably be at least 20 years before the next refresh cycle

I have wondered about an electric tank. Some advantages. Doesn't require air. No thermal signature. Quiet potentially. Instant power. No diesel fuel to catch fire. No hydraulic system. Potentially redundant drive and actuators.

> No thermal signature.

That's isn't how thermodynamics works.

It could have a reduced thermal signature but infrared cameras are so absurdly sensitive so it isn't obvious to me that a reduction would be a big advantage.

> Potentially redundant drive

Diesel-electric would have the same redundancy advantages: https://oshkoshdefense.com/engineering-solutions/propulse/

> No diesel fuel to catch fire.

Diesel is relatively hard to get to burn as liquid fuels go... lithium chemistry batteries aren't particularly known for being fire free.

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#22

Post by nordsieck »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #19
nordsieck wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure. That's all good stuff. But fundamentally, EVs really only work well when vehicles can recharge on a grid. The Military wants to be able to operate away from the grid.

With all this talk US military has been doing about the changing theater of war in XXI century, about how it needs to refocus on effective operations in urban areas, I wonder: do they always assume that the power grid will be off? If not, then there may be some utility in a light and fast electric vehicle that parasites off enemy's power grid (and has solars or diesel aggregate as backup). Also, did the military cons…

> do they always assume that the power grid will be off? ... Also, did the military consider hybrid vehicles for similar role?

I want to be up front - I'm far from privy to the military's decision making, which is byzantine and absurdist on a good day.

However, I think I can pretty safely say that the issue is not whether the military assumes that the grid will be off, but rather they don't assume that the grid will be on.

I think the closest they might get is a plug-in hybrid. However, that adds quite a bit of weight and complexity to a vehicle. I honestly don't know one way or the other how well that would work for armored vehicles, which are typically quite a bit heavier than you're probably used to thinking.

For example: homemade armor is typically 1/4" hardened steel plate welded to the outside of vehicles (thin skinned trucks, etc.) - about 2x the thickness of the Cybertruck's body. I'd assume that most purpose built armor kits are even heavier than that.

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#23

Post by cm2187 »

skunkworker wrote: post #10

This could help at high altitudes where you don’t get enough air for a naturally aspirated engine. I ran into this problem off roading above Ouray and Telluride, CO at about 12,500ft. Though adding forced induction would’ve given me back some power.

Sounds like a good location to run out of battery

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#25

Post by peteretep »

kiddico wrote: post #4

I can't think of a brand that would be a harder sell for the sort of people that want an EV right now. In my mind it screams "big for the sake of big", not efficient or environmentally friendly...

Seems like people who want a Hummer that can do Ludicrous Mode would be a good market.

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#26

Post by olivermarks »

GM made a Chevy Silverado platform 'hummer H2' suv, that's what this article refers to, not the milspec Hummer made by AM General.

The GM 'consumer' Hummer was basically a pseudo milspec hummer and this new EV version will presumably be a similar marketing effort. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummer_H2

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#27

Post by newnewpdro »

JulianMorrison wrote: post #24
fouc wrote: post #18

Wonder how they'll get on with Cybertruck.

They will fight each other at monster truck rallies. "Team Cyber" and "Team Hummer" shirts will sell out. Many corn dogs will be eaten.

I would gleefully attend an all-ev monster truck rally.

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#28

Post by newnewpdro »

skunkworker wrote: post #10

This could help at high altitudes where you don’t get enough air for a naturally aspirated engine. I ran into this problem off roading above Ouray and Telluride, CO at about 12,500ft. Though adding forced induction would’ve given me back some power.

Some? Turbochargers don't lose much with elevation, especially if sized appropriately. And even a turbocharged configuration a little down on power would still be doing better than NA at any elevation.

The real nuisance with high elevation is getting enough air over the heat exchangers to not overheat or heat soak the intercooler, air:water would be desirable.

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#30

Post by Amygaz »

kiddico wrote: post #4

I can't think of a brand that would be a harder sell for the sort of people that want an EV right now. In my mind it screams "big for the sake of big", not efficient or environmentally friendly...

Considering the number of pickup truck EV and large SUV EV in the plan, I think this exactly what many non-EV people want.
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