Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Oshkosh Defense introduces first-ever silent drive hybrid-electric JLTV

Oshkosh Defense unveiled the first-ever silent drive hybrid-electric Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), the eJLTV, which is capable of operating silently, all while offering better fuel efficiency.

The eJLTV offers the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps the same level of performance and protection as the base JLTV with the addition of silent drive, extended silent watch, enhanced fuel economy by more than 20%, and increased exportable power that makes it a better choice in combat and reconnaissance scenarios.

The new hybrid-electric eJLTV is equipped with a 30 kWh battery pack that allows it to operate silently, which helps reduce the overall risk to warfighters when approaching the enemy. The eJLTV charges the battery while in use, fully recharging the lithium-ion battery in half an hour. This eliminates the need for a charging infrastructure, which remains one of the most significant challenges to the widespread electrification of the tactical wheeled vehicle fleet. The vehicle can also provide an export power capacity of up to 115kW, eliminating the need for a towed generator.

The U.S. Army plans to recompete the JLTV program this year and issue a follow-on production contract in September 2022. The follow-on contract, valued at $6.5 Billion, includes an additional 15,468 vehicles and five order years followed by five options years, extending production through FY32.

“While the U.S. Army has not requested a hybrid-electric JLTV as part of the JLTV recompete, the eJLTV proves that Oshkosh Defense has the team and technical capabilities to produce this highly capable vehicle today,” said John Bryant, Executive Vice President for Oshkosh Corporation and President of Oshkosh Defense.