Chevrolet showed the Silverado ZH2 at the 2018 AUSA Defense Show. It recently popped up online on the GM Defense website. This truck looks amazing, but what do we really know about it?
What we do know is that the Chevrolet Silverado ZH2 is a hydrogen fuel cell truck developed for military and search-and-rescue applications. We don’t know a ton more besides what we can see from the video on the GM Defense website.
Chevrolet Silverado ZH2
GM Defense says the Chevrolet Silverado ZH2 is “the first heavy-duty truck architecture capable of supporting the next generation of vehicle requirements for higher payload, flexible configuration, longer range, and faster refueling times with more compact and capable propulsion system.”
That all sounds awesome, especially for adventure vehicle applications. The video provides some clues on how GM plans to deliver on these lofty design goals.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powertrain
It all revolves around a Hydrotec hydrogen fuel cell powertrain. Three 700-bar hydrogen tanks, a bank of Joultec lithium-ion batteries, and what looks like two electric motors make up the system. All of these components are mounted down low between the frame rails. GM Defense is touting an over-400-mile range, plenty to get to remote adventure locations around the globe.
Off-Road Prowess
The video also shows that the truck is designed for use in the rocks, mud, and snow. This is no doubt a proper off-road truck. We assume it has four-wheel drive, as it has an electric motor at each end of the truck.
Bead-lock wheels, bumper-mounted recovery hooks, a winch, skid plates, aggressive tires, and LED off-road driving lights let you know this truck means business. The truck also features race-proven DSSV spool valve shocks, which we know work great from our time in the current Colorado ZR2.
Mission Ready
The Chevrolet Silverado ZH2 is the follow-up to the Colorado ZH2, which debuted in 2017. Both are test beds for showcasing the capabilities of hydrogen fuel cell powertrains in rugged, demanding applications.
Who wouldn’t want an off-road-ready, long-range vehicle that can easily haul big gear loads and is easy, quick, and inexpensive to refuel?! To top it off, it is extremely low impact on the environment and runs super quiet. Think about the wildlife you could see on your off-road adventures that wouldn’t immediately bolt at the noise of a typical internal combustion engine.
Sure, Chevrolet is developing the Silverado ZH2 for the military. Space, racing, and military uses have been the main catalysts for most of the largest developments in vehicle technology. Hopefully, we’ll see a vehicle like this one available to us all soon.
