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THE RISE AND FALL OF HUMMER-FROM MILITARY TO EV.

THE RISE AND FALL OF HUMMER-FROM MILITARY TO EV.

Hummer DNA originated from a huge military vehicle that was nimble and could drive on any terrain with its high off-road capabilities. The American military requested to develop a fleet of High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV) or HUMVEE that was used to transport troops and cargo. Which then gave rise to what we now know today as the Hummer!

Being a large SUV with a strong reputation, the Hummer caught Arnold Schwarzenegger’s eye when he was the icon of Hollywood action movies, so he contacted AM General; the company that produced the military Hummers in the 1990s to get his hands on one. His request was refused, so he pushed for a civilian version to be made. Schwarzenegger was able to persuade AM General, so they produced the first civilian HUMVEE and gave it to Mr. Schwarzenegger even going so far as to tag it as the TERMINATOR.

In 1992 the civilian Hummer 1 officially went on sale for $100,000. It was a huge boxy looking vehicle which was the largest SUV in the market. It looked mountainous rolling around on the public roads. This large SUV was not designed for comfort or luxury and also consumed way too much fuel with its big engine and bulky mass. General Motors bought the Hummer brand In 1999 from AM General. Fuel prices were low and economies were doing well, so Hummer’s sales took off- especially in Hollywood. It was also featured in a lot of movies, which aided in increasing brand recognition.
In the 2000s Hummers were everywhere! Celebrities used to reach the red carpet with their Hummers which represented the ultimate icon of success back then. After the Hummer H1, the Hummer H2 was born with a sleeker design, more car features, and sold for much less to be a large SUV for the public. Then the Hummer H3 came along which was further scaled down in size and price to target a bigger range of customers who are buying a new car.
Hummer sales then peaked in 2006. With the rise of global warming awareness and increase in fuel prices, the Hummer sadly became a symbol of wasteful consumption. Owners felt judged owning Hummers especially with the change of perception from being a military vehicle to just another form of pollution car. General Motors, which had too many brands, suffered a big hit when the financial crisis of 2007 arose and they stopped making money. In 2009 General Motors filed for bankruptcy and discontinued a number of its brands, so General Motors, unfortunately, shut down all manufacturing and sales of the glorious HUMMER. New models haven’t been manufactured in a decade.
However, large SUV sales started to increase in 2013 and the big pickup trucks have made a vigorous recovery. The latest car news from What To Ride informs that the Hummer could make a comeback as a rough and tumble luxury SUV. It could even be an Electric Vehicle to compete with Tesla CyberTruckor Nikola Badger this time! And this could give the Hummer a new reputation from fighting wars to fighting Global Warming.

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