The diesel-electric hybrid hype has met its match: the U.S. Army. After focusing on hydrogen fuel cells in its original version of The Aggressor, a high-performance, off-road Alternative Mobility Vehicle (AMV) for military ground exploration and scouting missions, the Pentagon is now going the way of Detroit -- with batteries.
The new, second-generation prototype will still utilize the same basic chassis and exterior design for light-duty capacity. But the Armys auto research arm -- part of the Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) -- has developed a battery-dominant, hybrid-electric drivetrain with a diesel engine-generator. That could make the new Aggressor the first hybrid to hit the streets of Baghdad en masse.
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-- Ward
