Harbinger has introduced an unmanned hybrid-electric vehicle platform for military applications under a new defense vertical, Harbinger Praesidia, with the company reporting more than 500 miles of hybrid driving range and up to 350 kilowatts of exportable power. The Garden Grove, California, manufacturer is working with government customers and defense prime contractors to configure the platform for flat-deck logistics, field communications, troop transport, perimeter security, and counter-drone (counter-UAS) operations. Alongside the launch, In-Q-Tel (IQT), the not-for-profit strategic investor serving the U.S. national security community and America’s allies, has joined as a strategic investor in Harbinger.
Highlights
- The platform delivers more than 500 miles of hybrid driving range and approximately 105 miles of fully electric range in Harbinger’s standard configuration, according to the company.
- Harbinger reports the vehicle can export up to 350 kW to external systems, drawing on 48 kW of continuous power from the gasoline engine and a 15 kW onboard inverter for split-phase AC output.
- Three wheelbases (158, 178, and 208 inches) are offered with gross vehicle weight ratings of 16,000 to 26,000 pounds, supporting payloads of up to 18,000 pounds.
- Mesh radios support teleoperation at up to 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) line-of-sight, with satellite communications enabling beyond-line-of-sight operation, the company says.
In-Q-Tel Joins as a Strategic Investor
IQT’s investment supports Harbinger’s expansion into government and defense markets. The organization identifies, evaluates, and leverages emerging commercial technologies on behalf of the U.S. national security community and America’s allies.
“Harbinger’s vertically integrated vehicle platform brings together power generation, energy storage, mobility, and flexible configuration in a way that is highly extensible to emerging government and national security needs,” said Sara Jones, Principal, IQT. “Harbinger’s combination of proven commercial vehicle technology and U.S.-based manufacturing aligns with the U.S. government’s effort to leverage cost-effective commercial innovation for military use and makes it a strong fit for IQT’s investment focus.”
Harbinger Co-Founder and CEO John Harris previously led hardware engineering and manufacturing of Anduril’s first product, Sentry Tower.
“The government needs robust vehicles that can support a wide range of use cases without forcing operators to compromise on payload, range, exportable power or durability,” said Harris. “Our American designed, engineered and assembled vehicles fulfill this need while supporting domestic manufacturing capacity, which is itself a national security asset. At the same time, these unmanned vehicles are engineered to help keep soldiers out of harm’s way without compromising on performance.”
A Shared Chassis With Full Drive-by-Wire Control
Harbinger Praesidia vehicles are built on the same medium-duty plug-in hybrid chassis the company uses for commercial vehicles. The platform is autonomous-ready and designed to be fully teleoperable through Harbinger’s in-house API. The chassis — engineered and assembled in-house in the United States — incorporates steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire, and accel-by-wire technology, with redundancy across key systems to support remote operation. A six-camera system provides a 360-degree bird’s-eye view for situational awareness.
The defense platform is available in all of Harbinger’s standard chassis configurations:
- Wheelbases: 158-inch, 178-inch, and 208-inch options balance compact maneuverability against load-carrying capacity
- Weight ratings: Each wheelbase is offered in GVWRs from 16,000 to 26,000 pounds, supporting payloads of up to 18,000 pounds
How Much Range and Power Does the Platform Offer?
The platform uses a series hybrid system that pairs an electric motor for high-torque demands with a compact gasoline engine and generator capable of recharging the batteries or supplying external power. The company reports more than 500 miles of hybrid driving range and roughly 105 miles of fully electric range in the standard configuration, with energy supplied by gasoline, EV charging, or both.
The high-capacity battery serves as both a propulsion source and an onboard energy reserve, enabling quiet fully electric operation, stationary powering of mission equipment in the field, and recharging through the onboard generator, external EV charging, or bi-directional power systems. According to Harbinger, the vehicle can export up to 350 kW to external systems — powering energy-intensive field equipment without separate generators.
Additional specifications reported by the company include:
- Maximum speed: 65 mph
- Minimum turning radius: 21 feet
- Gradeability: over 30%, with over 20% side slope capability
- Operating envelope: −30°C to 55°C (−22°F to 131°F) and altitudes up to 12,000 feet
- Charging: approximately four hours for a 10%–80% AC charge; approximately one hour on DC fast charging
Teleoperation, Communications, and Mission Features
Praesidia includes features aimed at government and defense use cases:
- Stealth Mode disables exterior lights, acoustic alerting devices, and the onboard generator for silent operation with minimal thermal signature
- Remote control and teleoperation support unmanned operation in hazardous, contested, or hard-to-access environments
- Remote auxiliary actuation enables functions such as pallet deployment, power export, or liftgate actuation
- Dual-network communications combine radio and satellite-based connectivity
- Integrated range extender provides consistent power while driving or stationary
- AC power export inverts DC power from the high-voltage traction batteries
Integrated mesh radios support teleoperation at up to 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) line-of-sight, while satellite communications support beyond-line-of-sight operation at unlimited range, the company says. The vehicles are designed to operate off-road and across wet roads, snow, standing water, loose surfaces, potholes, and ruts. The platform launch follows Harbinger’s recently announced partnership with American Rheinmetall to develop and deliver next-generation robotics and uncrewed ground vehicles in support of American Rheinmetall‘s military modernization work.
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