From military to electric: This is how the Hummer returns

After 10 years without presenting a new Hummer after the bankruptcy of General Motors, this popular SUV model reappears, being presented in October by the General Motors division, GMC. It is clear that the Hummer is a vehicle that despite being made for off-road conditions has always been accompanied by luxuries and "excesses" that make it an expensive truck and a status symbol especially in the United States, so it was a rare sight.  However, this truck has a military origin that, despite the renovations, remains in spirit. 

Military beginnings

According to Auto Pasión, the idea of the Hummer was generated from a contract of 1.6 million dollars offered by the United States Government in 1983 for the manufacture of 70,000 "high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles", hence the acronym HMMWV which was pronounced "Humvee". The company AM General designed and manufactured a model of truck that would be dubbed Hummer, which would meet the requirements and prevail over the competition (including the typical Jeep used by the army).

The Hummer would be tested by the government under various environmental conditions that simulated a combat environment, from desert heat to arctic cold as well as its performance in flooded and rocky areas. After 600,000 miles of tests carried out by the US Armed Forces, it was confirmed that this would be the approved model. The Hummer met other requirements such as being airborne, easy to maintain, and inexpensive, so deep knowledge was not required to perform mechanical tasks.

From the army to the street

Although AM General sold some models to the civilian public, it would not be until the mid-90s that General Motors bought the Hummer brand to market it as a luxurious truck but maintaining the concept of an off-road vehicle and complying with US legislation, in this case it would include an engine V8 that could consume up to 20 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers traveled. Every year there would be new updates although there were only three models called H1, H2 and H3, the latter was the most marketed around the world according to El Confidencial.

The new Hummer EV

During its history, the Hummer always had great gasoline or diesel engine, but this time General Motors took a radical turn and returned to the Hummer with three electric motors that offer 1,000 horsepower, a number that exceeds most of the large V8 gasoline engines that exist today. The new Hummer ensures 560 kilometers of autonomy before having to recharge it. In addition, it will be possible to obtain 160 kilometers more of autonomy with a 10-minute charge, although all these numbers are estimated by General Motors, we would have to wait until the end of 2021 to put it to the test according to Motor Pasion.

The three engines of the Hummer will be distributed with one for the front axle -so there will be a kind of trunk on the hood of the truck- and two engines for the rear axle, managing to reach its maximum capacity to go from 0 to 96 km / h in approximately 3 seconds according to Motor Pasión review.

Technological extras

In addition to a renewed structure with a pick-up truck – in the style of the first military Hummers – this new model has several features that take advantage of technology for an off-road adventure, such as the Crab Mode option, which acts as a differential blocker but with the bonus that it works with the wheels on a diagonal, which is ideal for uneven terrain where there is little traction. Another aspect is that the air suspension can be raised about 6 inches from a button inside the vehicle for when the conditions are present, according to Car and Driver.

The lower part of the chassis is "armored" by a strategically distributed steel structure to protect sensitive areas such as batteries, it also has cameras on both the rear and front to offer a full view of up to 18 areas to help the rider dodge obstacles. These chambers are covered and with a washing option to keep them operational. Almost every feature on the truck is customizable to suit the terrain and driving conditions. All of this will be possible if the price of approximately $ 112,600 is paid.

It may interest you: The 5 most impressive armored vehicles of today

How "green" is it?

Yes, the new Hummer EV does not emit carbon dioxide like other vehicles that use fossil energy, but it has the same problem that any electric car has: where does the energy come from to charge it? As Diario Motor explains, an electric vehicle may be more or less ecological depending on the energy source that exists in each country. For example, France is the country with the cleanest electrical energy producing 75 grams of Co2 to produce one kWh of energy, while in Germany 345 grams of Co2 are released per kWh.

On the other hand, while an average Diesel car in Spain produces 16.3 kilograms of Co2 for every 100 kilometers traveled, an electric vehicle such as the Hummer requires a total of 8.7 kilograms of Co2 in that same country to obtain enough energy to travel 100 kilometers. This is roughly twice the average electric car as the Hummer consumes much more kWh due to its size and motor power. However, it continues to be a cleaner option than a diesel or gasoline vehicle, as long as the energy comes from sources that are moderately low in Co2, according to Diario Motor.