Energy Storage for Hybrid Military Vehicles

The benefits of hybrid electric vehicles have been recognized by the US Army and other military services. As a consequence, hybrid vehicles are being considered as future combat and tactical platforms. In order to achieve this objective, a number of integration challenges need to be overcome for every component system within the vehicle. Energy storage is one of the major systems of concern in the hybrid electric application. While a number of energy storage devices and concepts have been considered, the focus of this paper is on the rechargeable battery systems, their suitability, challenges and limitations. This paper discusses the integration and application of energy storage in hybrid vehicles. It also explores the challenges and the various solutions that have been proposed to obtain a functional, reliable and safe energy storage in future All Electric Combat Vehicles (AECV).