Feb 21, 2019 — While government and industry have long been experimenting with electric and hybrid-electric vehicles, JP-8 conventional fuel — with its long logistical tail — is still king on the battlefield. But technological advancements in batteries and alternative fuels could shake up the status quo.
Proponents of electric and hybrid-electric vehicles for the military say the technology can offer lower-cost power sources, greater performance and quieter, stealthier operations.
The Army — which has led the vast majority of the Defense Department’s work in electric vehicles — recently hosted an electrification forum that drew engineers, project managers, academia and industry together to discuss electric vehicles. The forum — which took place in Troy, Michigan, in November — was the second such event in 2018, said Dean Zeal McGrew, leader of the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center’s powertrain electrification team.