Hummer facts for kids
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2024 GMC Hummer EV3X SUV
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| Owner | General Motors (1999–present) |
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| Introduced | 1992 |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners | AM General |
Hummer is an American brand known for its tough pickup trucks and SUVs. It first appeared in 1992. Back then, a company called AM General started selling a civilian version of its military vehicle, the M998 Humvee.
Even though Hummer vehicles stopped being made in 2010, the name came back in 2020. Now, it's a special model under the GMC brand. In 1998, General Motors (GM) bought the Hummer brand name. They sold three types of Hummer vehicles. These included the original Hummer H1, which was like the military Humvee. They also made the newer H2 and H3 models. These were built on smaller platforms, designed for everyday drivers.
Around 2008, people wondered if Hummer would survive. This was because of a tough economic time. The brand was kept by GM, who looked for a buyer. No deal was made, and in 2010, Hummer dealerships closed down.
The Hummer name returned for the 2022 model year. It wasn't a separate brand anymore. Instead, it became an electric pickup truck and an SUV. Both are sold under the GMC brand as the "GMC Hummer EV". The first versions of the electric Hummer were made in November 2021. This happened after GM invested $2.2 billion. They used this money to build electric vehicles at their Detroit-Hamtramck factory.
Contents
The Story of Hummer Vehicles
How Hummer Started
AM General had thought about selling a civilian version of its Humvee for a long time. This was back in the late 1980s. The civilian Hummers looked very similar to the military ones. They had the same strong structure and most of the same parts. But the civilian models were painted in shiny colors. They also had features like air conditioning, better seats, and stereo systems.
The idea for a civilian Hummer partly came from actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He saw an Army convoy while filming a movie in Oregon. He then pushed for a version that regular people could buy. In 1992, AM General started selling the civilian "Hummer" to the public. Arnold Schwarzenegger bought the very first two Hummer H1s.
General Motors Buys Hummer
In December 1999, AM General sold the Hummer brand name to General Motors. However, AM General kept building the vehicles. GM was in charge of selling and distributing all the civilian Hummers. Soon after, GM introduced two new models they designed: the H2 and H3. They renamed the original vehicle the H1.
AM General continued to build the H1 until 2006. They also built the H2 for GM. The H3 was built in Shreveport, Louisiana. It shared parts with the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks. Hummer dealerships often had a special roof design. It looked like a half Quonset Hut, which reminded people of the brand's military roots.
By 2006, Hummer vehicles were being sent to and sold in 33 countries. On October 10, 2006, GM started making the Hummer H3 in South Africa. These were for international markets. At first, they only made left-hand drive versions. Later, they added right-hand drive versions for places like Australia.
The H2 was also put together in Russia by a company called Avtotor. This happened from 2006 to 2009. That factory made a few hundred vehicles each year. These were mostly sold in Russia.
On June 3, 2008, GM's CEO, Rick Wagoner, said the Hummer brand was being looked at. It might be sold, changed, or stopped completely. This was because fewer people wanted big SUVs. This was due to higher oil prices. Soon after this announcement, some Indian car companies showed interest in buying Hummer.
In April 2009, GM President Fritz Henderson said that several companies wanted to buy Hummer.
Failed Sale and Shutdown
On June 1, 2009, GM announced that the Hummer brand would be stopped. This was part of the General Motors bankruptcy news. But the next day, GM said they had a deal to sell the brand. The buyer was a Chinese company called Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company.
On January 6, 2010, GM's CEO, Ed Whitacre, hoped to finish the deal by the end of that month. On February 1, 2010, the deadline was moved to the end of February. Sichuan Tengzhong needed approval from the Chinese government. It was also shared that the Hummer brand was valued at $150 million.
However, on February 24, 2010, GM announced the deal with Tengzhong had fallen apart. The Hummer brand would soon shut down. The financial markets made it hard for Tengzhong to get the money. Also, the value of the Hummer brand kept going down. This was because of high fuel prices and low demand from buyers.
GM said it would consider other offers for the company. An American company, Raser Technologies, and others were interested. But on April 7, 2010, this attempt also failed. General Motors officially said it was closing down the Hummer SUV brand. They offered big discounts to sell the remaining 2,200 vehicles.
The very last Hummer H3 was made on May 24, 2010. It was part of an order for a rental car company.
Hummer's Return
In mid-2019, rumors started that General Motors might bring back the Hummer name in 2021. This was because off-road vehicles were selling very well. GM President Mark Ruess was asked about it in the summer of 2019. He said, "I love Hummer. I don't know. We're looking at everything."
The rumors became stronger after the 2019 General Motors strike. GM agreed to save its Detroit-Hamtramck factory. They would invest in it and change it to build future electric trucks and SUVs. These vehicles would use GM's new "BT1" electric truck platform. GM's own papers listed three brands getting products from this platform. These were Cadillac (Escalade IQ), Chevrolet (Silverado EV), and a third unknown brand called the "M-Brand."
People in the car industry said their sources told them the "M-Brand" was Hummer. Bringing back a well-known brand would help save money on advertising. The Hummer return was known inside GM as "Project O." This name might have come from Al Oppenheiser. He was in charge of bringing back the Camaro in 2010. He then moved to oversee an electric vehicle program. Oppenheiser later confirmed this himself. By November 2019, news reports almost confirmed that Hummer would return. It would have two electric models, a truck and an SUV, around 2021. On November 21, 2019, General Motors CEO Mary Barra confirmed that GM would release an electric pickup truck in the fall of 2021. She did not name the brand at that time.
The new Hummer line is not a separate brand anymore. It is now a model within GM's GMC brand.
On January 30, 2020, GM released videos showing the return of Hummers. They would be electric SUV and truck models sold under the GMC brand. A 30-second Super Bowl ad featured NBA superstar LeBron James. The vehicle was first planned to be shown on May 20, 2020. But the date was moved to October 20, 2020.
The Hummer EV SUT was officially shown on October 20, 2020. The Hummer EV SUV was shown on April 3, 2021.
There will be several versions and models under the GMC brand. At first, only the most expensive "Edition 1" four-door pickup was available. Other models and an SUV version followed later.
Hummer Vehicle Models
Hummer H1
The first Hummer vehicle was the Hummer H1. It was based on the Humvee military vehicle. It was released for regular people to buy in 1992. This vehicle was designed by American Motors' AM General part. They designed it to meet U.S. Military needs from 1979. Production of the H1 for civilians continued until 2006.
Hummer H2
The Hummer H2 was the second vehicle in the Hummer family. It was built by AM General for General Motors from 2002 to 2009. There were two types: the H2 SUV and the H2 SUT (Sport Utility Truck).
Hummer H3
The H3 and H3T pickup truck were the smallest Hummer models. They shared parts with the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks. General Motors made the H3 line from 2005 to 2010.
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Hummer H1
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Hummer H2
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Hummer H3
Concept Vehicles
Hummer HX
The Hummer HX was a special "concept car" developed in 2008. It was an open-air, two-door off-road vehicle. It was smaller than other Hummer models.
Plug-in Hybrid Idea
Raser Technologies had an idea for a Plug-in hybrid Hummer. It would use technology similar to the Chevrolet Volt. They showed a test version in 2009. This vehicle could go up to 40 miles on its battery alone. After that, a small 4-cylinder engine would start to make more electricity.
Hummer in Racing
Team Hummer Racing started in 1993. It was led by off-road racer Rod Hall. Team Hummer raced in special stock classes. Their vehicles had racing shock absorbers, tires, and safety gear. Rod Hall drove a Team Hummer H3 and finished first in its class in the 2005 Baja 1000 race. Team Hummer won 11 production-class races at the Baja 1000.
A very changed, two-wheel drive Hummer was raced by Robby Gordon. He competed in the Dakar Rally several times. He finished 8th in 2007 and 3rd in 2009.
Stretch Limousines
Some companies changed the Hummer H2 into long limousines. They cut the H2 behind the front seats. Then, they made the frame longer to add a passenger area. These limousines could hold 14, 16, or even 22 passengers.
Where Hummers Were Made
- AM General Hummer H1 Assembly Plant, Mishawaka, Indiana: This factory opened in 1984. It built the military HMMWV (HUMVEE). It started making the H1 in 1992. H1 production stopped in 2006.
- AM General Hummer H2 Assembly Plant, Mishawaka, Indiana: This factory opened in 2002. H2 production ended in 2009.
- General Motors South Africa Struandale Assembly Plant, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa: This plant was built in 1996. It was made bigger to build H3 models. H3 production ended in 2009.
- General Motors Shreveport Operations, Shreveport, Louisiana: In 2005, this GM plant was made bigger to build the H3. In July 2009, GM stopped making the H3.
- Avtotor Kaliningrad, Russia: This factory made a licensed version of the H2. This happened from 2006 to 2009.
Things People Talked About with Hummers
People had some concerns about Hummer vehicles. These were similar to concerns about other large SUVs, but even more so for Hummers.
Vehicle Size
Hummers, especially the H1 and H2, are much bigger than most other SUVs. This can make it hard to park them or drive them in tight spaces. Their large size might also be a concern for smaller cars and people walking.
Fuel Use
Hummers use a lot of fuel. Even compared to other big vehicles, their fuel economy is not very good. For example, an H2 might get about 14 miles per gallon on the highway. In the city, it might get around 10 miles per gallon. This is because they are very heavy, weighing about 6,400 pounds.
Safety Features
Information about Hummer crashes is not as complete as for other SUVs. Because the Hummer is considered a "Class 3 truck," it doesn't have to follow all the same safety rules as regular cars. The H1 did not have some common safety features. These included child safety locks, side airbags, or stability control. Also, their large size can create big blind spots, making it harder to see around the vehicle.
Driver Behavior
One study found that drivers of Hummer H2 and H3s received more traffic tickets. They got about five times more tickets than the average for all vehicles.
Hummer Products and Licensing
GM also allowed other companies to use the Hummer name. You could find Hummer trademarks on many items. These included colognes, flashlights, bicycles, shoes, coats, hats, and toys. There were also Hummer CD players, video games, and clothing. An electric four-wheel vehicle, like a small car, was made in the UK with the Hummer name.
See also
In Spanish: Hummer para niños
- GMC Hummer EV
- Humvee
- List of defunct United States automobile manufacturers
