The Colorado has been an instant hit for the civilian US market thanks to its size and reliable engines. However, it now seems that GM wants their truck, or at least its future successor, to be used by the US army as well. However, instead of the usual conventional diesel truck, they did something special. The 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 is a brand new development mule and concept showcased by GM a few days ago. The truck is expected to be part of a new generation of vehicles for the US Army, mostly used for light transportation. So far this role has been fulfilled by regular full-size diesel. This time around, though, the ZH2 is an electric vehicle.
Is it practical?
So far all electric cars require at least 30 minutes to more than a few hours of recharge time. In order to get past this limitation, the ZH2 is actually a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. This means that it only requires hydrogen and oxygen to make electricity. The refuel time for this type of tank is usually less than 5 minutes, and the range is comparable to a standard electric vehicle. This makes it perfect for army use. On top of that, there are a few more points in its favor which we are going to discuss next.
The 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 is not just a test mule. Like we said, the truck is also a concept. Even though it is similar to the regular Colorado, it has changed quite a bit. The wheelbase is now right between the short-bed model single-cab and the larger crew-cab. The concept sits on 37-inch tires while the approach and departure angles have been considerably improved. The cabin is the same as before, but the entire front end, as well as the bed, changed.
All the lights are now fully LED lit in order to save as much power as possible. The bed shrunk quite a bit with a view to accommodating the portable fuel cell behind the passengers.
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