General Motors launches electric military transport vehicles. Can electric vehicles really be successful on the battlefield in the next decade?

Today, electric vehicles have become the mainstream of the global automobile market. Whether in the commercial vehicle or passenger vehicle fields, a large number of electric products are launched on the market every year. Now, this trend is expected to spread to the military field.

GM Defense, the military division of General Motors of the United States, has launched a pure electric concept car, which is a modified version of the CHEVROLET Colorado ZR2 model. It can carry 5 to 9 soldiers and has a maximum range of 241 kilometers on a single charge.

GM is not the first company to produce military electric vehicles. In 2019, Nikola Motors of the United States launched the electric multi-purpose practical tactical vehicle "Lexus", which can accommodate four people and can reach a maximum speed of 95 kilometers per hour. Compared with traditional military off-road vehicles, the biggest advantage of "Lexus" is that it is small and light, making it easier to put into a helicopter for fast movement. At the same time, the more compact body and stronger sealing allow it to shuttle in more complex terrain.

Nikola Motor Company has begun order negotiations with the US military and plans to officially put this model into production this year.

In addition to the United States, Russia also has plans to develop military electric vehicles. In 2019, Russia unveiled the world's first military electric vehicle, the "Rango". This is a single-soldier combat vehicle that can be equipped with various weapons and supports folding and carrying.

Compared with traditional fuel vehicles, electric vehicles have advantages on the battlefield, such as being light and easy to transport, low noise and conducive to covert operations, and are widely used in the field of reconnaissance behind enemy lines. However, at the same time, the high cost of electric vehicles, the difficulty of charging and the battery safety issues will also be infinitely magnified in the military field.

The head of Nikola Motors once said, "We believe that military vehicles will be electrified within the next 10 years," but this may require revolutionary advances in battery technology. On the battlefield, practicality must be the priority. No one will use electric vehicles just because they are environmentally friendly. Besides, what is more environmentally unfriendly than war?

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.