Go-fast UTVs and open-air vehicles have long been used by our nation's military, as they're often perfect for special operations forces to get in, get out, and get going when the mission calls for it. It's why Polaris RZRs are some of the favorite modes of transportation by these forces, as they're fast, nimble, and can literally go anywhere.
But because those contracts are lucrative, the scramble for manufacturers to obtain those contracts with the Department of Defense can lead to some wild concepts to try and woo the top brass, as well as the operators themselves. Case in point, do you remember when General Motors offered up a skeletonized Hummer EV in UTV form as a potential for the military to use?
I didn't, so I figured we should absolutely talk about this insane vehicle and then ask GM if I can drive it for "Research purposes..."
The eMCV, as GM calls it, was basically a stripped-down UTV built atop the new Hummer EV platform and made to do all the silent operation stuff you'd want in a special operations vehicle. And it was part of the brand's Series Hybrid Light Tactical Wheeled Vehicle development program that also gave rise to the Colorado ZR2-based Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) that the company just won a contract for.
However, whereas the latter was still gasoline and diesel powered, this is pure electric and does its damndest by removing whatever weight it can from the 9,000-pound behemoth it's based on.
Gone is the Hummer EV's body, roof, doors, bumpers, and plush interior, and in their place the sort of kit you'd find on those Polaris MRZRs, including an external cage, rugged interior that can be hosed out, a small roof rack where you can mount all manner of armament—including the military's new Sig Sauer M250 light machine gun—a winch, double beadlock wheels, and the frame pickup points for both strapping the eMCV down in a cargo plane or picking it up with a helicopter, as the military is wont to do.
Powering the beast is a slightly different version of GM's 200+ kWh Ultium battery pack, which sends power to its three-motor e4WD system, and pumps out a whopping 1,000 horsepower for a total range of about 300 miles. GM Defense also says that if the military uses an 800V DC fast charger, it can hit up to 350 kW of energy back into the eMCV which would give them 100 miles of range in just 12 minutes.
According to GM Defense, "The six-passenger eMCV enables Silent Watch and Silent Drive, enhancing capabilities with low acoustic and thermal signature, and offers substantial exportable power for mission critical equipment and dash speed through instantaneous high-end torque. The vehicle also has the robust off-road capabilities of GM’s commercial all-electric super truck with additional enhancements, including FOX performance shocks, 37-inch tires, heavy duty brakes and improved approach and departure angles for exceptional off-road mobility. The vehicle features a 46-inch gun ring, swing side-arm mounts and an on-board 12 kW diesel-powered generator, which can produce electric power to recharge the EV batteries."
So yeah, GM, let me drive the eMCV which is bascially a Hummer UTV. You're already playing in the powersports arena, so toss me the keys to this beast!
