U.S. Military Developing Hybrid Stealth Bike

U.S. special ops troops are getting a stealth motorcycle. Not only that, it's also a hybrid.

DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) gave a Phase II SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) award to the team developing the SilentHawk electric motorcycle. Obviously the exact technical specs are a secret right now but the off-road scoot is based on Alta Motors RedShift electric motorcycle. The military version has a hybrid-electric motor which was designed by Logos Technologies.

The powerplant was originally meant for an aerial drone. This mystery machine combines a silent running electric for sprinting in and an internal combustion motor for distance running. Logos says the motor is "field swappable." That probably means charged batteries can replace dead ones quickly without wasting time plugged into a not-so-readily available outlet. SilentHawk also features two-wheel drive for attacking steep hills and other obstacles.

RedShift's civilian cousin has a top speed of 80 mph, can run 50 miles on electric alone, and starts at $14,995. Logos Technologies plans to have an operational prototype ready by the middle of next year.