Aggressor Diesel-Electric Hybrid Prototype: The Army Gets Eco-Friendly

It was bound to happen; after winning the hearts of thousands of civilian drivers, hybrids are a just a step away from conquering the hearts of the military personnel. Take the Aggressor prototype for example. An off-road Alternative Mobility Vehicle (AMV) that specializes in military ground exploration and scouting missions equipped with a battery-dominant, hybrid-electric drivetrain with a diesel engine-generator. All developed by the US Army’s auto research arm -part of the Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC). -Continued below

Spec-wise, the Aggressor accelerates from 0 to 40mph (64 km/h) in 4,0 sec while it can reach a top speed of 80mph (128 km/h). In addition, thanks to its battery-only operation, the Aggressor can switch into "silent mode" with a reduced thermal signature thus making it extremely hard to detect.

Could the Aggressor be the beginning of a whole "army" of hybrid military/security vehicles in the near future? According to Popularmechanics, yes, as there have been internal discussions about the benefits of hybrid drivetrains for other commercial applications, including homeland security and border patrol. Somehow, though, the terms "eco-friendly" and "military/security-vehicle" don’t seem to fit very well in our books. Via: PopularMechanics