GM unveils high-tech transport platform

Versatile fuel-cell ‘truck’ is autonomous, has electric drive and four-wheel drive and steer

Last week, GM unveiled the latest in its lineup of fuel-cell vehicles, the SURUS.

SURUS stands for Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure, but we're told it was also the name of Hannibal's last fighting elephant.

This radical new design is essentially a modular platform designed for heavy-duty trucks that will enable near-silent running, zero harmful emissions, and autonomous operation.

Based on a truck chassis, the vehicle has no specific front or back end but rather is intended to be a chassis and propulsion system with many potential uses.

“If you’re the user and you buy this, you don’t have to determine how you’re going to use it on day one,” said Charlie Freese, executive director of GM’s Global Fuel Cell Business ahead of the annual Association of the US Army (AUSA) conference.

Freese said the SURUS has flexible mounting points all over the top of the vehicle on which to mount different bodies like the ambulance you see in the photos. “You can mount truck bodies, cargo containers, anything you want,” Freese said. “It has many applications both commercial and military.”

Eight SURUS platforms can be transported on a Boeing C-17 Globemaster aircraft, he said.

The SURUS has two motors that independently drive two axles, and electric four-wheel steering. The hydrogen fuel cell that powers the vehicle is based on fuel cell technology that GM is now demonstrating for the US Army in the company's ZH2 truck.

Freese said that the SURUS has a range of 400 miles (644km) and can be refuelled with hydrogen in around three minutes.

A SURUS platform uses a Hydrotec Fuel Cell with water recovery system, and it can also export 50-80kW of power, so it can be used as a mobile or static generator.

GM unveils high-tech transport platform

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