GM Inks Deal With United Arab Emirates' Defence Governing Body To Develop Military EVs

GM Defense, a subsidiary of General Motors, has announced it is expanding in the Middle East by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Tawazun Council, the agency in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) tasked with security and defense investments.

This is the first step towards a formal partnership that will see future product development in advanced mobility, connectivity, and powertrain solutions.

"We are committed to building long-term, lasting relationships in the region and to delivering solutions featuring some of the most advanced, commercially proven technologies that offer reliability and flexibility," said Steve duMont, GM Defense President. "With this MOU in place, we can more effectively help our global customers transition to a more electric, autonomous, and connected future."

The objective is to help the UAE transition to fully electrified and autonomous military and related defense vehicles. GM Defense can leverage GM's commercial platforms, specifically the Ultium architecture and battery technology, for new military vehicles.

In 2020, GM Defense won a $200+ million contract from the US Department of Defense to build the next-generation Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) based on the outgoing diesel-powered Chevrolet Colorado ZR2. However, the subsidiary is also working on hydrogen fuel cell technology that's expected to replace diesel powertrains. Last October, the US Defense Department asked GM Defense to develop a new EV military platform following its own testing of the GMC Hummer EV.

The MOU between GM Defense and the UAE does not mention whether the country will receive the ISV or a future vehicle we have yet to learn about. Chances are it will be the latter, but that's merely speculation.