For a transport vehicle to be all it can be, the Army says it needs to run far on a tank of gas and provide portable power. To meet this goal, the military is developing a hybrid Humvee alternative that could boost the market for combination combustion-electric vehicles. During last week's Society of Automotive Engineers' 2005 World Congress, the Army's Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center demonstrated a hybrid vehicle chassis that can be fitted with multiple bodies to replace Humvees, Jeeps, armored vehicles and pickup trucks.

Cutting fuel costs and reducing maintenance were the driving forces behind the decision to create hybrid vehicles, according to Hal Almand, the Army's light tactical forms team leader.

The vehicle is powered by a small, three-cylinder diesel engine and two hybrid motors. It would cost about $20,000 to manufacture and could replace a $65,000 Humvee, Almand said. The vehicles are expected to get about 50 miles per gallon, compared to the Humvee's current 11 mpg. "The more money we can save the better," Almand said.