Pentagon Developing Stealth Electric Hybrid Motorcycle

When it comes to missions for the Special Forces, it’s imperative to maintain a stealth appearance and get in and get out quickly. Under development now, DARPA is experimenting with a gas/electric hybrid motorcycle to allow agents to reach difficult areas as quietly as possible.

Based on the $15,000 RedShift MX, Logos Technologies is currently developing a preliminary design with the help of a DARPA-awarded $100,000, six-month Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract. Details about the bike’s capabilities are scarce at the moment, but two-wheel drive was mentioned in a statement from Logos Technologies.

Currently, the batteries of the RedShift MX are good for approximately two hours. This is where the hybrid technology will come into play with the gas engine and its associated fuel tank. It’s not clear yet whether the gas engine will have any part in powering the wheels or whether it will strictly be used to recharge the batteries. Logos Technologies is aware of what’s at stake, noting in its official statement, “With a growing need to operate small units far from logistical support, the military may increasingly rely on adaptable, efficient technologies like this hybrid-electric motorcycle.”

By Troy Siahaan