WARREN, Mich. — Bright Automotive said it has delivered a prototype electrified vehicle, based on the architecture of its Bright IDEA plug-in hybrid, to the U.S. Army for review and testing.
The company also announced that based on its performance in developing the vehicle, the Department of Defense has awarded a new contract to refine the hybrid and vehicle systems to near production-intent.
Bright Automotive is working with the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Research Development & Engineering Center’s (TARDEC) National Automotive Center (NAC) to develop a vehicle for non-tactical, transport applications. The vehicle is a commercial utility vehicle retrofitted with plug-in hybrid powertrain based on the Bright IDEA. It features a number of technologies developed by Bright — including a custom battery pack, greater than 50 mpg efficiency and integrated vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities — that could improve base transportation efficiency and, in the event of an emergency, provide temporary power to the base electrical grid.
The delivery and the new contract mark another significant step forward for Bright Automotive, the company said. On Aug. 3, Bright and General Motors announced an agreement to pursue a strategic relationship, through which GM has provided funding to the Indiana automaker. That relationship will accelerate the production of the Bright IDEA, a highly efficient plug-in hybrid commercial vehicle designed for government and business fleets.
“This vehicle demonstrates that the Bright IDEA architecture can serve as the core of a custom, highly efficient solution for a demanding customer such as the U.S. Army,” said Nigel Francis, Bright Automotive executive vice president. “As with everything we do, Bright listened to the customer to develop a vehicle that exceeds their specific efficiency and utility demands. The U.S. Army fleet consists of over 80,000 non-tactical vehicles that rely on hydrocarbon-based fuel sources, so plug-in vehicles are a huge opportunity to cut fuel costs.”
More information about Bright Automotive can be found here.
