Hummer became General Motors answer to trail rated. Hummer was ready to tackle any terrain, and touted off-road capability as a selling point. As dealers clamor for the return of the nameplate, there’s a group of explorers taking the Hummer to new heights.
Say hello to Zero South plug-in biodiesel Hummer H1. Your eyes do not deceive you, this may be the most capable of any Hummer creating.
Green Car Reports picked up on the Zero South mission and the pack of Hummer H1s the group plans to take with it. Zero South will be the first attempt at trekking across Antarctica without the use of fossil fuels. If there’s one trait the Hummer earned besides off-road capability, it would be its thirsty petrol appetite.
That’s why Zero South chose the Hummer H1 as a starting point. A bit of irony if you will. The Hummer H1 has been equipped with a 3.2-liter turbo diesel engine, and will run on clean-burning biofuel during the expedition. But, the environmental friendliness doesn’t end there, because there is also an electric motor at each axle. This allows the Hummers to retain their four-wheel drive capability.
The electric motors make power from a 24-kilowatt lithium-ion battery pack, and are mounted on insulated battery boxes to ensure constant temperature.
Now, you’re most likely wondering about those tank treads. The treads come from an aftermarket company by the name of Mattracks, and can be had for many Hummers, SUVs and trucks. They were equipped for the greatest possible traction across the Hummers’ adventure.
Additionally, reinforced drivetrain and suspension components, as well as upgrades allow the aftermarket pieces to operate in temperatures as low as -60 degress Fahrenheit.
GCR says the journey will span 1,200 miles across the frozen tundra, but it is unclear whether the Hummers will have a chance to recharge their electric motors during the journey. If successfully completed, these contraptions here will be the first hybrids to make a journey quite like this.
Comments
The H1 was never built by GM but by AM General the defence contractor. The H2 was basically a dressed-up Tahoe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummer_H1