In a remarkable display of ingenuity, Ukrainian soldiers have repurposed wrecked electric and hydrogen cars to create effective weapons against Russian forces.
Constructed Ground Drone Using Tesla
This innovative approach by the soldiers from the "Khorne Group" has helped address the challenging task of dislodging Russians from industrial buildings in Volchansk, which overlook the surrounding area, according to Tech.
With the absence of air support to deploy heavy guided bombs, the soldiers sought alternative solutions. They discovered that battery cells from damaged electric vehicles, including Teslas, could power drones. Leveraging this discovery, the group constructed a larger ground drone using a battery and electric motor from a Tesla.
They equipped the drone with a hydrogen tank from a Toyota Mirai, which holds 122 liters of hydrogen compressed to 70 MPa.
Improvised Explosive Device
The tank, weighing around 90 kg, was surrounded by an additional 110 kg of explosives. This improvised explosive device, shielded with extra armor to withstand machine gun fire, was remotely sent across a bridge and detonated under a Russian-occupied industrial building. The resulting explosion was substantial, reducing the effectiveness of one of the Russian defensive positions.
This explosive drone, conceptually similar to the German Goliath from World War II, represents the "poor man's cruise missile." Such solutions aim to deliver a large explosive payload precisely to a target location. The most notorious example of this concept was the "jihad-mobile," armored and explosive-laden vehicles driven by suicide bombers, widely used by ISIS in the Middle East.
Interestingly, Russians have employed similar tactics, using tanks like the T-62 or T-54 as carriers, sending them directly through minefields. In contrast, the Ukrainian approach utilizes the latest technological advancements while preserving soldiers' lives. One significant advantage of the electric motor is its quiet operation and low thermal signature, making it harder to detect these drones at night.
