General Motors has revealed the Chevrolet Colorado ZH2, an extreme off-road-capable, fuel-cell-powered electric vehicle built specifically for the United States Army.
The Colorado ZH2 is well over six feet tall and more than seven feet wide, and has been built on a stretched bakkie chassis. Reinforced inside and out, the ZH2 rides on 37-inch tyres and a specially modified suspension that helps the vehicle cope with all sorts of nasty terrain.
Describing the vehicle as “mission ready”, Chevrolet says the US Army will test the Colorado ZH2 in “extreme field conditions” over a year to determine the viability of hydrogen-powered vehicles on military missions.
The Colorado ZH2 also features something GM calls an Exportable Power Take-Off unit (EPTO), which allows the fuel-cell to power activity away from the vehicle, such as remote locations where electric power may otherwise be unavailable.
So, why would the US Army choose the ZH2 fuel-cell model over a more conventional model? Chevrolet says it offers plenty of benefits, including near-silent operation (enabling silent watch capability), reduced acoustic and thermal signatures, high wheel torque at all speeds via electric drive, low fuel consumption across the operating range, and water by-product for field uses.
And, well, it looks pretty darn mean, too.
