UAE vehicle maker teams up with Singapore’s ST Engineering for hybrid system

BEIRUT — Emirati vehicle-maker Nimr has signed a memorandum of understanding during a local trade show with Singaporean firm ST Engineering to develop a hybrid electric drive system, Nimr announced.

The planned system detailed in the memo, which was signed during the Feb. 21-25 International Defence Exhibition and Conference, has the potential to be installed in Nimr’s Hafeet Mk 2 and Ajban Mk 2 armored vehicles.

“It is a result of the strategy to have maximum commonality between the two Mk2 vehicles, which will drive down costs and reduce the logistic footprint for fleet owners,” Nimr CEO Abri Du Plessis told Defense News. “The replacement of mechanical elements by more flexible and lighter electrical systems will increase vehicle efficiency, providing power for all required equipment including communication, electronics and weapon systems.”

Nimr has already showcased the concept design and technology elements in a life-size mock-up of an Ajban Mk 2. Nimr also unveiled at IDEX an autonomous version of the four-wheel drive armored vehicle.

“The hybrid electric engine is seen as a key element for the future introduction of complex sensors and electronics in combat vehicles. It will be more organically linked to such systems than to mechanical ones, and will simplify the integration of [artificial intelligence] AI technology,” the executive said, adding that more intelligent combat vehicles will mean better situational awareness and improved responses to threats.

The new characteristics are intended to improve the vehicle’s range, acceleration and stealth capabilities, as the hybrid electrical drive system is quieter than conventional engines. The hybrid electric drive system is also expected to produce less emissions than standard engines.

“Conversations around hybrid electric technology in the automotive industry are on the increase, and naturally this is echoed in the defense industry,” Du Plessis said. “There are several advantages of implementing hybrid electric drive systems, including improvement of acceleration and fuel economy, silent mobility and silent watch capabilities, and enhancement of onboard electric power generation.”

The CEO also said his company is looking into a range of commercial solutions, whether hybrid or fully electric, to explore how it can incorporate more technology into its products.

Lee Shiang Long, the president of ST Engineering’s land systems business, said in a statement that the hybrid electric drive system was originally designed for commercial applications.

Teams in the United Arab Emirates and Singapore are cooperating on the project from their respective locations. The next step is to finalize a detailed design.

“Plans are to have a running prototype within a year that can be used for extensive testing and characterization. Following that, the system will be fully industrialized in accordance with customer requirements,” Du Plessis said.

The system’s kit will be prepared by ST Engineering, with the vehicle and all other mechanical parts and interfaces handled by Nimr.

Agnes Helou was a Middle East correspondent for Defense News. Her interests include missile defense, cybersecurity, the interoperability of weapons systems and strategic issues in the Middle East and Gulf region.

贝鲁特——阿联酋汽车制造商Nimr宣布，该公司在当地一次贸易展上与新加坡ST Engineering公司签署了一份谅解备忘录，共同开发混合动力电动驱动系统。

该备忘录详细介绍了计划中的系统，该系统是在 2 月 21 日至 25 日国际防务展览和会议期间签署的，该系统有可能安装在尼姆尔的 Hafeet Mk 2 和 Ajban Mk 2 装甲车上。

“这是旨在最大限度提高两款Mk2型车辆通用性的战略成果，这将降低成本并减少车队所有者的后勤保障需求，”Nimr首席执行官Abri Du Plessis告诉《防务新闻》。“用更灵活、更轻便的电气系统取代机械部件将提高车辆效率，为包括通信、电子设备和武器系统在内的所有必要设备提供动力。”

Nimr 已经展示了 Ajban Mk 2 的全尺寸模型，并展示了其概念设计和技术元素。Nimr 还在 IDEX 上推出了四轮驱动装甲车的自动驾驶版本。

这位高管表示：“混合动力发动机被视为未来在作战车辆中引入复杂传感器和电子设备的关键要素。它将比与机械系统更有机地连接，并简化人工智能（AI）技术的集成。”他还补充说，更智能的作战车辆意味着更好的态势感知能力和更高效的威胁应对能力。

这些新特性旨在提升车辆的续航里程、加速性能和隐蔽性，因为混合动力驱动系统比传统发动机噪音更低。此外，混合动力驱动系统预计还能比标准发动机减少排放。

杜普莱西表示：“汽车行业对混合动力技术的讨论日益增多，国防工业自然也受到了响应。采用混合动力驱动系统有诸多优势，包括提高加速性能和燃油经济性、实现静音行驶和静默监视能力，以及增强车载电力输出。”

首席执行官还表示，他的公司正在研究一系列商业解决方案，无论是混合动力还是纯电动，以探索如何将更多技术融入到其产品中。

新科工程陆地系统业务总裁李祥龙在一份声明中表示，该混合动力驱动系统最初是为商业应用而设计的。

阿联酋和新加坡的团队正在各自所在地合作开展该项目。下一步是敲定详细设计方案。

杜普莱西表示：“我们计划在一年内研制出一个可运行的原型机，用于进行广泛的测试和特性分析。之后，我们将根据客户的要求，对该系统进行全面工业化生产。”

该系统的套件将由 ST Engineering 准备，车辆和所有其他机械部件及接口将由 Nimr 负责。

阿格尼斯·赫卢曾任《防务新闻》中东记者。她的研究领域包括导弹防御、网络安全、武器系统互操作性以及中东和海湾地区的战略问题。