GM Defense built a driverless, cab-less Army-green concept on the Silverado 3500 HD dually chassis

GM Defense has taken the dual-rear-wheel chassis of a Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD, removed the cab and handed the driving to software. The result is an unmanned ground vehicle concept that was shown to Army audiences in Washington in mid-October, pitched for silent logistics and casualty evacuation rather than combat.

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Chevrolet does not sell an electric Silverado HD, so the concept is also an unusual look at what an electric-drive heavy-duty truck platform from General Motors could be. Most of its specifications come from trade coverage and from GM’s sparse description, and a few are Electrek’s inference, not company statements.

A cab-less Silverado 3500 HD dually

Electrek’s Jo Borras described the machine in a report published Oct. 19 as a cab-less, autonomous concept built on “the dual-rear-wheel Chevy Silverado 3500 HD skateboard architecture.” The outlet noted that GM’s press release gave few precise specifications, which it called typical of military announcements, and joked that buyers can have any color they want as long as it is Army green.

AutoGuide reported that the concept still wears a Silverado-style grille but has no cab, with a flatbed replacing the traditional bed. In its coverage of the unveiling, the outlet lists a maximum payload of 8,000 pounds, drive-by-wire controls, onboard and export power, and open interfaces for modular payloads. It says GM’s skateboard layout supports quiet movement and keeps the vehicle in a logistics role.

The business behind the concept has a long and interrupted history. AutoGuide notes that the unit dates to the First World War and has produced military vehicles and artillery since, that General Motors divested it in 2003 and that the company revived it in 2017. In 2020, GM won a $214.3 million contract for 2,065 Infantry Squad Vehicles, so the driverless truck arrives from a company that already has a proven Army supply relationship.

Autonomy, battery and the engine question

The vehicle was shown with the Gx Ground Agent autonomy system from Scout AI, which Electrek says uses an open, modular interface for different sensors and mission systems. Electrek suggested the work hints at progress on GM’s eyes-off driver-assistance system, scheduled for 2028 under the Super Cruise brand, though that connection is the outlet’s reading and not something GM stated.

On power, the figures differ slightly by outlet. Electrek reports a battery of 102 kWh, which it labels as reported and not confirmed by GM. AutoGuide cites a rechargeable energy-storage system rated at 100 kWh, while Carscoops and CBT News cite 102 kWh, with Carscoops attributing the figure to DefenseDaily. Carscoops also quotes GM describing the powertrain as an internal combustion engine with a power take-off charging the battery, used for export power, so the truck is electric-drive but not a pure battery vehicle.

Electrek guessed that the engine is likely the 186-hp, 2.8-liter Duramax turbo-diesel four-cylinder, and expects vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-grid capability to power field equipment. Those details are inference. Electrek also speculated that GM has developed an extended-range electric 3500 pickup chassis that could reach production, presenting that as a hope rather than a plan.

Counter-drone payloads and the 2027 timeline

CBT News reports that the unit on the show floor was integrated with AeroVironment’s Locust X3 laser weapon system, and that counter-drone missions are considered among the most important potential payloads. AutoGuide adds a Squarehead Discovair G2+ sensor that detects drones acoustically. In its account of the concept, CBT News quotes Pete Johnson, GM Defense’s vice president of business development for integrated vehicles, saying “a technology demonstrator will be ready by June 2027.” GM Defense has no scheduled date to deliver a platform for Army testing, and functional trials are targeted for 2027.

GM Defense president Steve duMont framed the project around the company’s industrial base, saying the company does not begin with a blank sheet of paper, a line reported by Electrek and AutoGuide. He pointed to GM’s engineering, supply chain and manufacturing scale as ways to speed capability to service members.

How it fits GM Defense’s Army business

The concept is separate from the company’s best-known Army program, the Infantry Squad Vehicle, which is based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2. Autoevolution’s piece and the other outlets note that the Army’s requirement for the vehicle grew from an initial 649 to at least 12,000, and that a five-soldier variant is slated for 39 active-duty and National Guard mobile brigades. CBT News adds that the Department of War modified GM Defense’s contract by $697.7 million in September, raising its cumulative value to about $915.6 million.

None of that makes the driverless truck a program of record. It is a concept with a demonstrator planned for June 2027, no delivery date for Army testing and no price. A reader commenting on Electrek’s piece noted that comparable unmanned vehicles are being used in Ukraine for casualty evacuation at far lower cost, which hints at the question the Army will eventually ask about this one.

This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.

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