“Excuse me, Mr. Enemy, do you mind pausing operations for a few hours so we can charge our vehicles up?” Maybe they could carry a whole bunch of swapable batteries with them. Just as easy to replace as a simple fuel truck of it is hit by enemy fire, right?
US Army starts testing a modified version of Canoo’s electric pickup truck
Earlier this year, electric vehicle startup Canoo warned it was running low on cash. Since then, the company’s prospects have taken a turn for the better. Over the span of two days in July, Canoo announced separate agreements to provide Walmart with 4,500 EVs and the US Army with a test vehicle. This week, the company shared an update on its Pentagon contract, announcing it had delivered a prototype of its new Light Tactical Vehicle to the army.
The LTV looks like a modified version of Canoo’s pickup truck. According to the company, it incorporated carbon Kevlar to make the vehicle more durable without increasing its weight. The LTV can be converted from a pickup to a flatbed truck, allowing it to carry construction material and tactical equipment. It even includes a stealth configuration. Canoo says the all-wheel drive LTV can produce up to 600 horsepower. It also features air springs, a raised suspension system and 32-inch tires to make it fit for traversing difficult terrain.
The US military is among the biggest polluters on the planet. It has a larger carbon footprint than about 140 nations, including first-world countries like Sweden and Denmark. At the start of 2022, the Defense Department announced a net-zero emissions plan that, among other tactics, called for the army to electrify its combat and support vehicles. While there’s no guarantee Canoo will be part of that initiative, securing the US Army as a customer would be a significant boon for the startup.
It’s like the size of a small, small pickup truck. I guess if they do not mind use 3-4 of them where one big truck will suffice to deliver supplies. The question is, do these help the mission? If not, they then hurt. The idea is to be able to project force to stop an enemy, not be part of a cult. One day the military might be able to operate on EVs and such, but, that time isn’t even close, especially since there just isn’t enough metal to make the batteries. Also, what are they being charged with?
A few of the comments at the article
- The article forgot to mention that the reason the US Army has such a big carbon footprint is because it has to carry the weight to defend countries like Denmark and Sweden as well as the rest of Europe and the Pacific.
- If the Army will “electrify its combat and support vehicles” it makes you wonder just how much more dangerous taking fire in a tank would be – when you are atop a very large lithium battery. Comes a time when Theory gives way to Reality.
- I’m sure the enemy will put in lots of charging stations before a battle starts.
- They better lift that thing up if the Army plans to buy it. It’s too low for anything other than residential base duty (MP’s for example).
- So basically they are looking at expensive golf carts to run errands on base.
- Someone explain how these EV’s are going to replace something as big and heavy as a rhino, abrams, or even an armored humvee? Those ev vehicles look great for playing simulations on base where you can do an AAR and re-charge the battery afterwards at the barracks.
- Can’t go yet sarge. It’ll be another 45 minutes for my truck to charge.
Who wants to bet that someone has some money invested in Canoo? Meanwhile
Recommended Reading: The environmental cost of China’s EV boom
The rise of electric vehicles in China is causing devastating environmental impacts in nearby Indonesia, including rising ocean temperatures as a byproduct of coal plants. Upper respiratory infections are also one of the main health issues for people who live near nickel-processing factories and the main water sources for some areas are increasingly polluted and prone to flooding.
This leads to this story, which is very long article, explaining the dangers and environmental degradation caused by the push for EVs.
Read: Army Starts Testing On Little Buggy Electric Vehicle Truck »