Two years ago, GM introduced the Colorado ZH2, a hydrogen fuel cell-powered pickup truck jointly developed with the U.S. Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC). The concept was built to test the viability of hydrogen powertrains in military applications, and prototypes spent all of last year in field trials with the Army. The results of those tests must have been at least a little bit promising, as GM Defense, GM’s recently formed defense industry subsidiary, has revealed the larger Chevrolet Silverado ZH2 concept.
The Silverado ZH2 quietly debuted in a video posted on GM Defense’s website. The video gives us a brief look at the truck’s hydrogen fuel cell powertrain, which appears to feature front and rear electric motors. Stored between the frame rails are two of the three 700-bar hydrogen tanks and a Jouletec lithium-ion battery pack. GM Defense says the trucks has a range of more than 400 miles. We also get a glimpse of the truck’s DSSV spool valve shocks, the same Multimatic-sourced dampers used by the Colorado ZR2.
The Silverado ZH2 looks like it could be based on the next-gen Silverado HD, which is expected to debut in 2019. The truck isn’t as futuristic-looking as the Colorado ZH2, though it still sports tacticool embellishments like extra body cladding and slender LED cluster headlamps. In addition to the basic olive drab paint scheme, the Silverado ZH2 is shown wearing desert camo and search and rescue colors.
Beyond those few details, not much is known about the truck. We’ve reached out to GM Defense for more info and will update this post when we hear back. Until then, check out the video and imagine how a hydrogen-powered Silverado would fit in on the battlefields of tomorrow.
Source: GM Defense via Automotive News (Subscription required)
The post Chevrolet Silverado ZH2 Wants to be the Military’s Next Fuel Cell Truck appeared first on Motor Trend.
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