Oshkosh Defense receives new patents on hybrid military vehicle

Oshkosh Defense announced Monday that it was granted five new patents for a hybrid electric military vehicle. The hybrid electric Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, or eJLTV, was first announced in January.

The vehicle is a hybrid version of the traditional Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, and improves the fuel economy of the traditional vehicle by more than 20 percent.

The patents are related to the accessory drive approach, battery and inverter integration and the range and capability of the Oshkosh vehicle.

“Hybrid electric vehicle technology provides silent drive, extended silent watch, enhanced fuel economy and increased exportable power that enables it to be used in combat and reconnaissance scenarios,” said a statement from Oshkosh Defense vice president George Mansfield.

The U.S. Army has a goal to field hybrid-drive tactical vehicles by 2035, according to its climate strategy plan released in February of this year.

“The Army must adapt across our entire enterprise and purposefully pursue greenhouse gas mitigation strategies to reduce climate risks,” said Army Secretary Christine Wormuth in the plan report.

Francisco Sayu is the emerging technology director for Renew Wisconsin, a nonprofit that promotes renewable energy. He said there could be many advantages of using hybrid and electric vehicles in tactical settings, including risk management.

“It reduces your dependence on resources that you have to bring from the outside,” he said. “Every time you have to move supplies from one place to your destination, there is a cost associated with that, and there is a risk associated with that.”

In addition to better fuel economy, Sayu said the reduced noise and fumes from hybrid and electric vehicles could be an advantage in a military setting. The eJLTV has silent drive and silent watch capabilities, according to a press release.

Oshkosh Defense still has 18 pending patent applications for the eJLTV. Last year the company received a multi-billion dollar federal contract to build up to 165,000 postal trucks, which it opted to manufacture in South Carolina instead of Wisconsin.