DARPA or Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has recently awarded two research grants to as many small companies for the development of a hybrid motorcycle that will operate almost silently and electrically. The partnership between the American companies Logos Technologies and BRD, exploits the know-how acquired by the two companies on hybrid energy projects and motorcycle frames. DARPA expects a hybrid that can work mainly in electric mode. A traditional motorcycle, at 25 meters away, produces 90 decibels. The proposed hybrid should produce a quarter of the noise, recharging itself with a portable field system.
The current bikes on the market do not have a real operational use for the military. To begin with, they tend to use gasoline, while most American and NATO vehicles use the "JP-8" mixture, based on kerosene and diesel. DARPA would like a vehicle with good autonomy with an electric power supply, but able to use conventional fuel on the market. In the first phase of development, the BRD and Logos Technologies team will produce a preliminary project to demonstrate the feasibility of the required requirements.
Currently the American and NATO military use the M1030M1 diesel motorcycle.
Franco Iacch
(photo: USMC archive)
