GM's defense team is developing a Silverado version of the ZH2 in concert with the U.S. Army.
General Motors defense group continues to develop new urban warfare vehicles for the U.S. military to consider. The latest under development is the new Chevrolet Silverado ZH2.
The military-grade version of the Silverado is mirrored off the Colorado ZH2 the company produced in 2016. Developed in concert with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center, the Silverado ZH2 is powered by a next-gen hydrogen fuel cell and advanced battery systems.
It features a heavy-duty strength design, a “race proven multimatic dynamic suspension” and a range of more than 400 miles, according to Autoblog.com.
The Silverado ZH2 uses Hydrotec fuel cells and Jouletec battery system. The fuel cell not only functions as a powerplant for the truck, it’s also mobile water source, generating two gallons of water per hour as its only waste product. It also offers rapid recharging in just 3 minutes.
The Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 prototype is a stretched and ruggedized version of the midsize pickup.
(GM, U.S. Army unveil Colorado fuel-cell pickup. Click Here for the story.)
Based on renderings shown in a video touting the new beast, the exterior design draws heavily from the 2020 Silverado HD that was displayed earlier this year.
GM’s been pushing the envelope in the last few years with its latest military-inspired creations, such as the Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure, or SURUS fuel-cell platform that looks like a skateboard, offering flexibility in its uses, including off-road capability, autonomous driving and acting as a mobile power source.
The company says SURUS has a range of more than 400 miles and is about 16.5 feet long and 7.5 feet wide.
(Click Here for more about the SURUS hydrogen fuel-cell powered military vehicle.)
The Army has been testing the Colorado ZH2 in off-road conditions, evaluating power generation, reduced odor, acoustic and thermal signatures, high wheel torque, extended operating range and potential use of the byproduct water: all vital controllables for future military vehicles.
SURUS was designed to form a foundation for a family of commercial vehicle solutions that leverages a single propulsion system integrated into a common chassis.
Military testing has shown the ZH2 reduced acoustic nondetection distance by 90% compared with current military vehicles in operation, according to GM. This means the ZH2 can get 10 times closer before being detected, the company notes.
(To see more about GM partnering with Honda on fuel-cell development, Click Here.)
Last year, the U.S. Navy unveiled a GM fuel cell-powered Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) for testing purposes that leverages GM fuel cell technology common with the Colorado ZH2.