Filed under: Government/Legal, Technology, Hummer, Military, Design/Style
The military's High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (
HMMWV), better known to most of us as the Humvee, has already
served a long and distinguished career in the battlefield, and there have been a number of
replacements waiting in the wings to take over where the HMMWV left off. Or, should we say, leaves off... assuming that ever happens.
It seems that the Humvee is set to get a new lease on life as military budget constraints are forcing the government to reconsider its replacement. But there are still some pesky safety issues to work out before American soldiers will feel comfortable inside the confines of the off-road box on wheels.
As you're likely aware, improvised explosive devices are an ever-increasing threat to the lives of American troops serving overseas. The Humvee, which traces its design all the way back to the year 1984 when it first saw duty as a replacement for the long-running series of military Jeeps, has seen a number of incarnations over the years that added armor and improved safety, but the latest version may feature something hitherto unseen: a chimney.
No, not a chimney like the one that peeks out of your house. This chimney, along with a V-shaped hull, serves to channel explosive forces up and away from the occupants inside. The structure of the chimney also serves to reinforce the vehicle, connecting its floor with its roof. Other advancements include a new set of doors that open up like barn doors, seats designed to absorb shocks and a sling that promises to lower the gunner into the vehicle in the event of a blast.
Read more about the vehicle here, and be sure to scroll down for the illustration.
Humvee reborn on the battlefield... with a chimney?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Minivan/Van, Specialty, Quick Spins
A Long-Overdue Entry In An Otherwise Overlooked Segment
A round of applause broke out as Marc Buoniconti, former linebacker for The Citadel, ascended the ramp of the very first
VPG Autos MV-1 to roll off the assembly line inside AM General's plant near South Bend, Indiana. Buoniconti was rendered a quadriplegic after a gruesome tackle while playing football for his South Carolina alma mater. That was back in 1985 and Buoniconti has been wheelchair-bound for the past 26 years. Since then, he has gone on to start
The Buoniconti Fund, the fundraising arm of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, and been heavily involved in the development of what you see here - the very first purpose-built, OEM-backed vehicle designed specifically to accommodate the needs of the disabled.
The MV-1 is a strange hodgepodge of engineering, but its mission is clear: To offer a mobility solution for the disabled that costs substantially less than aftermarket minivan conversions available today. Right now, VPG says there are some 1.5 million vehicles on the road that have been converted for wheelchair access, all from third-party companies who augment a factory vehicle's chassis and interior at substantial cost. "Aftermarket means afterthought," says Buoniconti, and the team at VPG Autos aims to offer a factory-crafted solution for an otherwise overlooked segment of the automotive landscape.
Continue reading 2011 VPG Autos MV-1
2011 VPG Autos MV-1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Minivan/Van, Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, Electric
Ford Transit Connect Electric - Click above for high-res image gallery
When
Ford and
Azure Dynamics unveiled the
Transit Connect Electric van earlier this year, Azure announced that the electric drive systems would be installed at a facility in Michigan. Today, Azure let it be known that the installation work will be done by AM General, a company that's best known for producing the military-spec Humvee, at its engineering and product development facility in Livonia, MI.
Ford will be shipping Transit Connect gliders (vehicles without any fuel or powertrain components installed) from its plant in Turkey to the AM General plant. Azure will ship the motors, power electronics and batteries to the plant where AM General will do the final assembly. The first units will be produced late this year with full production ramping up by April of 2011. The Transit Connect Electric will have a range of about 80 miles and be targeted at commercial customers, although Ford will apparently sell the van to any customer who wants one. Official press release available after the jump.
Photos by Drew Phillips, Sebastian Blanco / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Azure Dynamics]
Continue reading Isn't it Ironic? Ex-Hummer builder AM General handling final assembly of Transit Connect Electric
Isn't it Ironic? Ex-Hummer builder AM General handling final assembly of Transit Connect Electric originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 May 2010 14:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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