Wednesday, May 2, 2012

U.S. Army's Fuel Efficient Concept Vehicle

U.S. Army Rolls Out Fuel Efficient Concept Vehicle That Can Also Provide Electric Power To Forward Operating Bases
April 30, 2012 - This week the Army debuted its latest concept vehicle that not only significantly improves upon fuel economy, it also has the capability to generate and export electric power to Soldiers in austere locations like Afghanistan.

Following the grand opening of the arsenal’s high-tech lab last week, the Fuel Efficient ground vehicle Demonstrator (Bravo version), or FED Bravo, was displayed to the public at the Society of Automotive Engineers 2012 World Congress, April 24-26. The FED Alpha concept vehicle shown to the public last fall was fuel-efficient, but could not export power like the Bravo version.

When FED Bravo plugs into a microgrid, it’s capable of providing power that can be used at forward operating bases and other small military outposts, officials said, significantly reducing power requirements and helping Soldiers to be more efficient.

True to the Society of Automotive Engineers 2012 theme, “Get Connected,” the Army collaborated with students at the College for Creative Studies, or CCS, in Detroit to design the concept vehicle. CCS has a thriving, highly respected automotive design program to feed the styling studios of the Big Three auto manufacturers, Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. A group of 18 CCS students designed FED Bravo to meet specific Army requirements for fuel economy, performance, protection, payload and interior layout.

FED Bravo was funded by the Defense Department and developed by engineers at the Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center in Warren, Mich., along with industry partner World Technical Services, Inc. read more>>>


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