General Motors this week revealed a military vehicle based on the GMC Hummer EV at the Modern Day Marine trade show in Washington, D.C.
Called the Electric Military Concept Vehicle (eMCV), the concept takes the same approach as the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2-based Infantry Squad Vehicle, draping a military-specific body and hardware over a civilian vehicle’s chassis and powertrain—the electric Hummer’s, in this case.
GM Defense Infantry Squad Vehicle
Like the Hummer EV, the eMCV has a 24-module double-stacked battery pack with a capacity of around 200 kwh, affording an estimated 300 miles of range. The pack can be charged at up to 350 kw, adding 100 miles of range in approximately 12 minutes. However, the eMCV also has a 12-kw diesel generator that can provide “limited charging and propulsion,” according to GM.
A three-motor powertrain also carries over essentially unchanged. As in the Hummer EV, a single motor powers the front wheels through a conventional mechanical locker, while the two motors power the rear wheels, employing a “virtual” locker system to add traction. Output is estimated at 1,000 hp and 1,200 lb-ft of torque—just like the most powerful version of the civilian Hummer EV pickup.
2023 GMC Hummer EV Pickup
The eMCV also features 37-inch tires and Fox shocks to enhance off-road capability, as well as heavy-duty brakes, a 46-inch gun ring, swing side-arm mounts, and seating for six.
Reports of an electric military Hummer first circulated in 2021, and GM in 2022 said it would supply a Hummer EV to the U.S. Army for evaluation. The Army is researching alternatives to fossil fuels; it’s also testing an electric pickup from startup Canoo and previously evaluated a fuel-cell Chevy Colorado prototype. But the Hummer-based eMCV remains just a concept for now.
