Hummer - From Military to Civilian

        I am a big fan of the movie Transformers since my childhood. Those scenes in which the huge cars transform into robots are truly amazing. Myself being so curious to know about those cars used to search its name, horsepower, engine type, etc. If you guys have seen the movie "Transformers", you might have noticed a Hummer H2 rescue vehicle. One of the main character "Autobot Ratchet" which transforms into a Hummer H2! I started my search to know what makes Hummer unique?

Hummer H2

Hummer is a brand of trucks and SUVs, first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 HUMVEES (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle). Hummers were seen all around the world, immediately noticeable by the rugged design and tall stands. But since June 1, 2009, the company revealed that the Hummer brand would be discontinued.

So, what happened?

The U.S. military used the Jeep as its primary vehicle during the Vietnam war. But those Jeeps couldn't carry more people, were not armed, and couldn't pull cargo. The Pentagon gave AM General a billion-dollar contract to develop HUMVEES. These vehicles were more likely to transport cargo, troops, and most importantly were armed. These vehicles rose to prominence during the Gulf War when people saw them in action.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Terminator ;-) badly wanted one of these vehicles. So he contacted AM General and requested them to make a civilian model, AM General listened to him and Arnold became the first civilian to own a HUMVEE. Then the civilian version of the HUMVEE went on sale.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's Hummer

These cars became a great success. Celebs started buying these monster cars. Its sales skyrocketed in the year 2006 with over 70,000 units sold! It's a very impressive stat compared to other SUV manufacturers at that time. Hummer was everywhere!

These civilian units weighed more than 4.5 tonnes and averaged less than 10 miles a gallon! It used to drink a lot of fuel. Environmentalists raised alarm about environmental pollution. Hummers were seen as a polluting machine. There were violent clashes and dashes by setting fire to hummers, breaking windows, etc. Unfortunately, in 2007, there was a financial crisis that added General Motors to big trouble. General Motors, in 2009, filed for bankruptcy and ceased a bunch of brands in including Hummer, eventually ceasing the breadth of the Hummer brand.

But...... recently the Hummer brand started breathing again with the concept of "The Hummer Electric"! It is slated to go on sale in international markets in 2023.

More info about this boy in my next blog...

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