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U.S. military forces are testing a new, lightweight one-person electric vehicle. The DSRaider all-terrain vehicle has the advantages of traditional ATVs in a smaller, more compact package. Ridden upright like a Segway and capable of carrying more than three hundred pounds across rough terrain, the DSRaider is aimed at soldiers, first responders, and outdoorsmen.
DSRaider, an Israeli company, is marketing its EZRaider series of personal all-terrain vehicles as a sturdy, quiet transportation tool for commandos and other troops. The vehicle allows helicopter-borne troops to exit from a helicopter cargo ramp and off into rough terrain without stopping to unpack larger vehicles. The news site Breaking Defense states that, “U.S armed forces have evaluated the EZ Raider and, after a successful set of tests, have purchased a number of them in order to continue the operational evaluation.”

The EZRaider line consists of the EZRaider, EZRaider HD2, and EZRaider HD4. Each carries a progressively larger load and can tow an additional payload in a trailer. The HD4 weighs 250 pounds and can carry 462 pounds or two fully equipped soldiers. Two 1200 watt electric motors drive the EZRaider to speeds of up 43 miles an hour, and a 60 volt, 3000 watt hour battery allows it to travel up to 24 miles on a single charge.
As an electric vehicle, the EZRaider line is almost totally silent, allowing troops to move quickly and silently across their patrol routes or to their objectives. Unlike a gasoline engine the electric motor produces little heat, giving it a lower infrared signature than an internal combustion engine. According to the manufacturer, the vehicle is steered via handlebars like a jetski.
In addition to "operational testing," which typically involves testing vehicles under realistic combat conditions, the personal all terrain vehicles were also tested in a law enforcement exercise in the U.S., where they were used “above and under the ground.