Oshkosh to Develop Alternative Drive System for Military Trucks

Specialty truck maker Oshkosh Truck Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., has been chosen as an industry partner for hybrid-electric technology applications for military vehicles.

The selection was made by the National Automotive Center and includes a grant to integrate Oshkosh's ProPulse hybrid-electric system into its HEMTT military truck model as part of a working alliance with the Southwest Research Institute.
The program manager for heavy tactical vehicles at the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command provided the vehicle to be equipped with the ProPulse system.
"Our unique, alternative drive technology has the potential to revolutionize heavy truck performance - to bring it to a level never seen before," said Robert G. Bohn, Oshkosh's chairman, president and CEO. "Hybrid-electric technology in smaller vehicles is not new, but Oshkosh has taken a leadership role in making it affordable and practical for tough, severe-duty applications such as military or fire trucks."
The ProPulse system design uses a unique, modular series-hybrid arrangement to simplify the transmission of power to the wheels. The diesel engine powers a large electric generator, which provides direct power to the wheels, eliminating the torque converter, transmission, transfer case, and drive shafts. A dedicated motor drives each differential independently. Each motor is controlled from its own power converter.
The company believes this technology can increase the fuel economy, or payload-to-fuel ratio as it is known in military circles, by up to 40 percent over conventional power train designs. The diesel engine is optimized for operation at a constant rpm. This eliminates the inefficiency associated with changing rpm levels during acceleration and deceleration. The constant speed slashes emissions as well.
With the ProPulse system, vehicles can do double duty as on-site power sources. This reduces the military's need for cumbersome generators to power communications and radar systems. For fire departments it means the elimination of costly auxiliary generators for scene lights and extrication equipment.