Army awards LiquidPiston contract to develop X-Engine platform for ground generators

LiquidPiston has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research contract by the Army to develop the X-Engine platform for the its small tactical power generators, the company announced today.

The engine will power small tactical generators ranging from 2 kilowatts to 5 kW. The company’s small tactical generator concept is more than an 80% reduction in weight and almost 70% reduction in size compared with currently fielded generators and can increase fuel efficiency by up to 30%, a Dec. 11 LiquidPiston press release states.

The company in September was also awarded a contract to develop its X-Engine as a hybrid-electric propulsion platform for unmanned aerial vehicles.

The engine will provide UAVs with the ability to cruise in quiet mode using electric-only power and the ability to restart the engine mid-flight, according to a Sept. 15 LiquidPiston press release.