Desk 5 · Technology, Fuels & the Future
DEUTZ signs MOU with Hypercraft to build a diesel-hybrid combat robot
Issue 006 · The Bumper Celebration Edition · Wednesday 14 October 2026
Image: DEUTZ AG Germany · Click the photo to enlarge
Why it matters: a watch-list item just moved from rumour to a formal, company-issued deal, and it's a rare case of a traditional diesel engine maker putting its hybrid tech into a battlefield robot rather than a truck or ute.
German engine maker DEUTZ AG and US firm Hypercraft have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop Hypercraft's Razorback unmanned ground vehicle. DEUTZ's NewTech division will evaluate its hybrid drivetrain, battery and power electronics for the two-tonne robot, which runs a diesel-hybrid drive producing up to 95kW, a 42kWh battery, a top speed near 100km/h and up to 450km range. No production contract or timeline has been set yet, this is still an MOU stage.
Source: DEUTZ AG, 21 September 2026.