Ukrainian soldiers repurpose Tesla for explosive battlefield success
7:59 AM EDT, August 4, 2024
Ukrainians are known for their immense creativity in eliminating Russians and can even create effective weapons from the wreckage of electric and hydrogen cars. Here's how soldiers from the "Khorne Group" solved their problem.
Ukrainians are attempting to push Russians out of industrial buildings in Vovchansk, a difficult task because these buildings overlook the surrounding area. In an era lacking air support capable of deploying heavy guided bombs, soldiers from the "Khorne Group" in the area began looking for alternatives.
They found a solution to the wreckage of electric and hydrogen cars. Cells obtained from crashed Teslas, among others, are suitable for powering drones. The group created a larger Land Rover using a battery and electric motor taken from a Tesla. They fitted it with a tank from a Toyota Mirai containing 32 gallons of hydrogen compressed to 10,153 psi. The tank itself weighs around 198 pounds, and the Ukrainians surrounded it with a 243-pound package of explosives.
The rover, equipped with additional armor to ensure resistance to machine-gun fire, was sent across a bridge and detonated under one of the industrial buildings occupied by Russians. The impact was impressive, causing the Russians to lose one of their prime defensive positions.
Remotely controlled "cruise missile for the poor"
The Ukrainians' explosive rover, conceptually similar to the German Goliath from World War II, is another embodiment of the so-called "cruise missile for the poor" idea. These solutions are meant to ensure the precision delivery capabilities of a large explosive load of several hundred kilograms to a targeted location.
The most popular form of this concept was armored and explosive-laden cars directed by suicide bombers called "jihad-mobiles." These were extensively used in the Middle East by terrorists from the Islamic State (ISIS).
It is worth noting that the Russians had similar ideas, using tanks like the T-62 or T-54 as carriers, which were sent straight through minefields. On the other hand, the Ukrainians are using the same concept but with the help of the latest technological advancements while respecting soldiers' lives. One of the advantages of electric drive is its quiet operation and low thermal signature, making it challenging to detect such rovers at night.
