U.S. Army tests Quantum's new hybrid-diesel vehicles in special ops

Irvine, Calif.-based Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide (Nasdaq:QTWW) said today it has shipped six of its newest diesel-hybrid vehicles to the U.S. Army.

The Clandestine Extended Range Vehicle (CERV) ia silent when running on batteries and can maintain a speed of 80 miles per hour, Quantum says. The CERV is expected to be used in quick-paced special operations missions involving reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting.  

Quantum signed a $4.88 million contract with the Army in 2007 to test, deliver and demonstrate the CERVs, which were then dubbed Aggressor II (see Quantum gets contract for diesel hybrid Aggressor). Quantum previously developed the Aggressor, a hybrid fuel cell vehicle, for the U.S. military.

Mark Arold, director of drive systems engineering for Quantum, told the Cleantech Group the contract is winding down now that all the vehicles have been delivered, but the company hopes to secure additional military orders for the CERV.

The CERV was built on a specially made lightweight chassis. The CERV uses Quantum's proprietary Q-Force technology, an all-wheel-drive diesel hybrid electric powertrain that the company unveiled last month after six years in development.

Shares of Quantum were up 2.65 percent to close at $1.16 today.

Quantum said the vehicles can ascend 60 percent grades, boasting a torque rating of 5,000 foot-pounds. In addition, the diesel-hybrid technology is expected to reduce fuel consumption 25 percent compared to traditional diesel vehicles. The hybrid control system minimizes battery size through optimized charge controls and regenerative braking.

Quantum said it shipped the CERVs to the U.S. Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), National Automotive Center (NAC). The project received funding from the U.S. Special Operations Command.

Quantum is also moving forward with its plug-in hybrid vehicles for the commercial market through its work with Fisker Automotive. In 2007, Quantum co-founded the luxury hybrid vehicle maker with Fisker Coachbuild (see Attack of the plug-in hybrids! and Cleantech cars advance as old guard stumbles).

Quantum plans to take its plug-in hybrid-gasoline powertrain, Q-Drive, into volume production in 2010 for the Karma, Fisker's $87,900 luxury sports sedan (see Quantum lines up $10.2M contract with Fisker). The pair also plan to develop the Karma S Sunset, a coupe/convertible that is expected to cost $39,900 after U.S. government tax credits.

Last month, Fisker announced plans to buy a dormant assembly plant in Wilmington, Del., to build the Sunset starting in late 2012. Annual production is expected to ramp to between 75,000 and 100,000, with more than half expected to be exported.

Fisker plans to purchase the plant using part of a $528.7 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy (see $529M DOE loan clears path for Fisker's new $39,000 hybrid and Kleiner Perkins hints at plug-in car launch this week).

The DOE has earmarked $25 billion for a loan program dedicated to manufacturing of advanced vehicle technologies and awarded nearly $9 billion to four automakers. The three other awards were $5.9 billion for Ford Motor (NYSE:F), $1.6 billion to Nissan North America (NASDAQ:NSANY) and $465 million to Tesla Motors (see Who is next for $17B in DOE auto loans?).

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