The Tatra Force e-Drive BEV 8×8, the first modern truck from the Kopřivnice-based car manufacturer with a purely battery-powered drive, was presented at the e-Salon 2025 trade fair. It is the latest addition to Tatra Trucks with an alternative drive, which the creators presented in a tipper configuration suitable for construction work. The manufacturer is not currently planning to use this particular variant for security forces, but it does plan to electrify the Phoenix model, which is also manufactured for military purposes, in the future. Alternative vehicle powertrains are currently being tested by armies abroad, but the Czech authorities are still cautious about the wider deployment of electric vehicles for security forces.

This innovation attracted well-deserved attention during the Prague trade fair. However, this is not the first time Tatra has showcased its electric vehicle. A prototype electric car was developed 125 years ago by the original Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau-Fabriks-Gesellschaft company – a passenger car on a Vierer chassis, weighing almost a ton and with a maximum speed of 21 km/h. Only two were produced, ordered by Emil Kolben for Elektrotechnická a. s. However, during a century of development, Tatra abandoned this type of drive and is only now returning to it fully.

Video: New Tatra Force e-Drive BEV 8x8 electric vehicle / YouTube

"The Tatra Force e-Drive BEV 8×8 is designed to test the installation of a fully electric drive system with traction batteries in a truck for mixed operation on roads and in the most difficult terrain, which is typical, for example, in the construction or mining industries," said Jakub Pončík, Technical Director of Tatra Trucks, during the ceremonial presentation of the new vehicle. "That is why we chose a tipper design for the prototype presented today, with a typical Tatra chassis with a central load-bearing tube and swing semi-axles, plus all-wheel drive."

The vehicle has batteries with a capacity of 480 kWh, and the Danfoss electric motor can deliver up to 550 kilowatts of power. A total of twelve traction batteries weigh 3 tons, and the total weight of the nearly nine-meter-long and almost three-meter-high machine can reach up to 44 tons. Even with a crew, it has a total load capacity of 22 tons and can handle a trailer with a maximum weight of 18 tons. It features a four-speed Eaton EV transmission and an additional Tatra transmission. The maximum range is up to 400 kilometers, depending on the terrain and driving style.

The vehicle is equipped with features that comply with the latest European legislation on vehicle safety, including blind spot monitoring, tire pressure monitoring, maximum speed monitoring for a given section, and obstacle warning systems. The chassis features an electronic braking system with a load sensor and drum brakes on all wheels, which are also suitable for use in muddy conditions. The two-door Tatra Force cab is here in its latest extended version with protection against rollovers and falling objects. Instead of rearview mirrors, the vehicle has cameras and an electronic dashboard and LED lighting inside. The appearance is the work of award-winning designer Lukáš Taneček. Tatra received a grant for the project from the TREND program of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic.

Although the model on display will probably not be offered for more demanding operations, such as deployment by security forces, Tatra plans to electrify the models offered to the military. "We are not considering electrifying the Tactic series. In any case, we are considering electrifying the Phoenix series, or T 158, in the future," said Pončík when asked about the possible modernization of vehicles used by the army to electric drive. The Phoenix series is used, for example, by the US Army at the Grafenwöhr training area in Germany, where two three-way tippers with all-wheel drive are used by US engineers to maintain hundreds of kilometers of roads and highways.

The use of electric vehicles by armies in combat missions is only just beginning to be considered. In this context, the US Army is currently using alternative hybrid powertrains for vehicles, vessels, and aircraft, which is linked, among other things, to plans to deploy small nuclear reactors at US bases to generate sufficient energy. The key issue is how to recharge these machines during deployment.

The Ministry of the Interior is currently skeptical about the deployment of electric vehicles and is proposing that the security forces negotiate an exemption from the EU, which originally planned to ban the sale of combustion engines in 2035. And although the European Commission is now reconsidering its intention (based, among other things, on the recommendations of the European Association of Automotive Suppliers), there are still doubts about the widespread deployment of electric vehicles within the security forces. In this regard, the Ministry of Defense argues based on its experience from the conflict in Ukraine, where the Russians regularly carry out attacks on the energy grid. The Integrated Rescue System, on the other hand, mentions the threat to recharging in the event of interventions, for example during natural disasters. The police, on the other hand, plan to purchase electric cars for use in cities and as official vehicles for other employees.

In the future, there will be more and more electric vehicles, although we will probably not see their widespread use across all sectors and components.

The Tatra Force e-Drive PHEV 8×8 model with a hybrid powertrain combining an electric motor and a Tatra eight-cylinder combustion engine, which was first unveiled at the e-Salon 2024 trade fair at the Prague Exhibition Grounds in Letňany, appears to be suitable for military use. This model can be equipped with armored cabins in two- or four-door versions for military use. Tatra Trucks is also developing an automated steering system with remote control capability for the Force series vehicles. In combination with the hybrid drive system and, for example, in conjunction with reconnaissance and observation unmanned vehicles, this system opens up new possibilities for the deployment and use of vehicles produced by the Kopřivnice-based car manufacturer in the defense sector.

Operation using an electric motor and traction battery offers the possibility of very quiet running with a significantly lower heat signature detectable by infrared sensors, capabilities that are increasingly in demand by military users and security forces. Platforms with propulsion systems with these characteristics can serve as logistical means for transporting ammunition, personnel, or supplies in high-risk areas or near combat zones. However, they can also be successfully used as a basis for combat systems that need to move covertly in dangerous areas with the least possible risk of detection. Another advantage of hybrid propulsion is the sufficient amount of electrical energy to power on-board and external devices for which conventional powerful alternators are no longer sufficient. The system thus also functions as an independent power plant.

Tatra has already introduced three models in its Force e-Drive series (including the latest Force e-Drive BEV 8×8 model). "The first was the Tatra Force e-Drive FCEV 8×6 using hydrogen fuel cells, the second was the Tatra Force e-Drive PHEV 8×8 with a hybrid powertrain combining an electric motor and a Tatra eight-cylinder combustion engine. We are now working on other prototypes with specific practical applications, such as a battery-powered electric car with an auxiliary combustion engine as a range extender, or a car with an electric motor and hydrogen fuel cells for operation in urban agglomerations and for municipal services with automated control," said Radomír Smolka, member of the Tatra Trucks board of directors responsible for research and development, providing a glimpse into the near future.