As it’s the Friday before a bank holiday weekend, I thought I’d end the week with something a little different.
Its size and weight is similar to that of a large van, but that’s where the similarity ends.
The Ricardo Fuel-Efficient Ground Vehicle Demonstrator (FED) is a potential replacement for the US Army’s legendary Humvee troop carrier.
More precisely, British engineering firm Ricardo hopes that the FED will replace the M1151 HMMWV, which is the latest, standardised version of the Humvee.
The FED is still in testing but one of the most remarkable things about it is that it has demonstrated a 72% improvement in fuel economy over the HMMWV.
“We implemented a relatively conservative approach using near or in-market technology to reach our fuel economy objectives, and we have proven they are achievable,” said Wesley Scharmen, Ricardo chief engineer on the project. “This kept costs down and increased the production feasibility of the end product.”
The Ricardo-led team that developed the FED started with a blank sheet of paper and a remit to take a total-vehicle approach to improving fuel economy, without using any exotic — and unproven — technology. The resulting vehicle uses a supercharged Cummins I4 engine, low-rolling resistance Goodyear tyres, an Alcoa Defense developed aluminium structure and other driveline improvements from Ricardo.
The Ricardo Fuel-Efficient Demonstrator (FED) could be a future replacement for the U.S. Army’s M1151 HMMWV Humvee troop carrier.
Such a massive improvement in fuel economy should give the FED an advantage when it’s deployed in the field, because fuel is the second most delivered commodity to ground troops, after water. The FED has been very successful in testing and has validated all of Ricardo’s simulation models of its expected performance — so you could be looking at the next Hummer. I wonder whether they’ll make a road-going version of this?
does it carry and protect the passengers and being light in weight will a light weight IED when touched off send this light weight and its contents- read people- into orbit and an early death. Sooo can it be up armored and hummers now have a transfer case whereby when shifted out of constant four wheel into twom register a 50% saving in fuel consumption. Look these idiots are selling to obama idiots what do they know well ask his ag and other luminaries in his circle! No fuel savings were NOT defined in the article for good reason the writers were too dam stupid to ask the hard questions… PT BARNUM said it over a century ago “there’s a sucker born every minute.” the american taxpaying public is the mark Hummers can be upgraded and retrofit to dao anything this connected overpriced vehicle can do! and if you want an armored car go for the Cadallic Gage armored car been built anf still saround in numbers since th Nam!