What you need to know:
- Harbinger is expanding into the U.S. defense sector through a partnership with American Rheinmetall focused on autonomous ground vehicles and robotic defense systems
- The companies will develop next-generation uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) and autonomous tactical platforms supporting U.S. Department of Defense modernization efforts
- The collaboration combines military vehicle integration expertise with hybrid-electric, drive-by-wire vehicle technology to enable scalable, lower-cost autonomous logistics and combat systems
- The partnership reflects a broader shift toward commercial defense technology adoption to accelerate autonomous military capabilities and improve manned and unmanned teaming operations
Harbinger is continuing to expand beyond its core battery-electric and hybrid commercial vehicle lineup, following earlier ventures like hybrid mobile healthcare vehicles and a hybrid RV motorhome platform.
Today, the Garden Grove, California-based OEM announced it's joining forces with American Rheinmetall to target the growing U.S. defense market for autonomous and robotic ground systems. The goal? To combine military vehicle integration expertise with commercial electric-vehicle technology in order to boost deployment timelines and cut platform costs.
[Related: Harbinger buys Phantom AI, signs ZF Deal to accelerate commercial truck autonomy]
The companies say their partnership will focus on developing the next-generation of uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) and autonomous tactical mobility platforms to support the U.S. Department of Defense's modernization initiatives.
American Rheinmetall, the Michigan-based U.S. subsidiary of the German defense contractor, has years of experience in mission systems, survivability, and modular defense architectures. Combining that with Harbinger's hybrid-electric and software-defined vehicle platform will, the companies say, allow for scalable robotic systems capable of fast production and operational adaptability.
Executives from both companies said the collaboration is intended to address increasing Pentagon demand for autonomous combat support, logistics automation, and U.S. Army manned and unmanned teaming capabilities across a variety of operational environments.
A future Harbinger–American Rheinmetall manned-unmanned U.S. defense platform.Harbinger/American Rheinmetall
"Soldiers need robotics they can trust, at a cost that lets them field them in the numbers required to win," said Matthew Warnick, CEO of American Rheinmetall. "Harbinger's drive-by-wire, hybrid-electric platform is one of the most autonomy-ready commercial chassis ever built in the United States, and combined with American Rheinmetall's deep experience integrating mission systems for the Army, gives the DoW an attritable, sovereign, and rapidly scalable option, engineered here, built here, and ready to fight."
The agreement also reflects a broader defense industry shift toward leveraging commercially derived vehicle technologies to shorten acquisition cycles and accelerate fielding of autonomous military capabilities at lower cost and greater scale.
[Related: Harbinger guarantees EV pricing amid IRA credit uncertainty]
"Harbinger has always built for the toughest commercial missions, and the Warfighter's mission is the toughest of all," said John Harris, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Harbinger. "Partnering with American Rheinmetall, one of the most capable ground systems integrators serving the Department of War, allows us to bring our autonomous-ready platform at a price point that makes true attritable mass possible. Together, we can give Soldiers robotic systems that are affordable enough to be everywhere they're needed, and tough enough to do the job when they get there. Most importantly, by taking the driver out of the vehicle with advanced autonomy and teleoperation, we can help keep service men and women out of harm's way."
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