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Hummer Humvee
 Hummer is the civilian version of the military humvee (HMMWV) |
The names Hummer and Humvee are sometimes used interchangeably in everyday language, and some people even refer to their vehicle as a Hummer Humvee, but there is actually a slight difference between a Humvee and Hummer.
During the 1970´s, the U.S. Army decided that their militarized civilian truck needed to be replaced by something better and more suitable for new hardships. In 1979, final specifications for a “High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle” were drafted and AM General started with the preliminary design work. “High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle” was abbreviated HMMWV. Calling the vehicle High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle was naturally impractical for the soldiers, and soon the new truck had earned the nickname Humvee – the sound you get when you try to articulate the acronym HMMWV. The very first Humvee was the M998 prototyp which was ready in 1980. In June 1981, the U.S. Army asked AM General to produce more prototype vehicles. After a series of tests, AM General was asked to make 55,000 Humvees to be delivered to the U.S. Army in 1985. The story of the Humvee had begun.
So, what about the Hummer Humvee? Hummer is the brand name used for Humvees created for the civilian market. It is considered a sport utility vehicle (SUV) and is manufactured by General Motors. Due to its military ancestry, it is often referred to as “the Hummer Humvee”, even though the correct name is Hummer. Today, you can purchase three different types of Humvees, and there are far reaching plans to create a forth type soon. The three existing types are Hummer H1, Hummer H2 and Hummer H3. The Hummer H1 is the one most resembling the military Humvee, and therefore also the type of Hummer most commonly referred to as a “ Hummer Humvee “.
The Hummer Humvee (Hummer H1) is more or less a military Humvee where small alterations have been made to satisfy the civilian market. The Hummer Humvee has no armor or weapons fitting and the interior has been made much more relaxed. The seats are comfortable and the trim is different, and you can get your Hummer Humvee with stereo and air conditioning. The electrical system is also different. The military Humvee use a 24V system where two batteries are wired in series.
The first private owner of a Hummer Humvee (H1) was California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He has also played a yellow Hummer Humvee called “The Governator” in the animated movie “Cars”. Today, Arnold Schwarzenegger owns one Hummer Humvee that has been converted into a Hydrogen vehicle. This Hummer use hydrogen, not petroleum, as its primary source of power for locomotion. Another interesting Hummer is owned by musician Neil Young. His Hummer runs on biodiesel fuel.
Pictures courtesy of U.S Army