Automotive
Timeline: The Rise, Fall, and Return of the Hummer
View the full-resolution version of this infographic
Timeline: The Rise, Fall, and Return of the Hummer
The Hummer brand has a relatively short history, but its trucks are some of America’s biggest automotive icons (both figuratively and literally). Originally designed for the military, Hummers are famous for their size, off-road capability, and of course, fuel consumption.
The latter proved to be the Hummer’s Achilles’ heel. By 2007, a recession was coming, and the appetite for oversized gas guzzlers had shrunk. The Hummer brand was discontinued, and its last truck rolled off the production line in 2010.
Over a decade later, GM is reviving the Hummer as a fully-electric off-road vehicle. Preorders have surpassed 65,000 units, but how does this compare to the brand’s heyday in the 2000s?
The Origins
The Hummer traces its roots to 1983, when AM General, a heavy vehicle manufacturer, received $1 billion from the Pentagon to build the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Humvee).
The Humvee became a staple of the U.S. military, and by 1991, 72,000 had been produced. The truck was especially useful in Middle Eastern conflict zones due to its ability to transport troops and cargo over rough terrain.
If you’re wondering how this military vehicle ended up on public roads, you can thank none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger.
While filming the 1990 action-comedy, Kindergarten Cop, Arnold reportedly fell in love with a Humvee used on set. He later persuaded AM General to produce a consumer version of the truck, which arrived in 1992 under the name “Hummer”.
Apart from adding creature comforts like air conditioning, AM General made very few changes to the consumer-spec Hummer. It was notoriously crude and unsuited for city driving, but its military roots gave it plenty of character. GM saw an opportunity in expanding the brand, so in 1999, it purchased the rights to produce and market the Hummer.
Rise and Fall
GM moved rather quickly after purchasing Hummer. It renamed the truck to “H1”, and released an “H2” just a few years later.
Sales in the U.S. jumped, hitting over 35,000 in 2003 before tapering off slightly. To keep momentum going, GM rolled out the smaller and cheaper “H3” in 2005. Sales once again spiked, and the brand recorded over 71,000 sales in 2006.
Unfortunately, what goes up eventually comes down. In 2009, during GM’s bankruptcy proceedings, the Hummer brand was discontinued along with Pontiac and Saturn.
Year | Annual U.S. Hummer Sales |
---|---|
1992 | 316 |
1993 | 612 |
1994 | 718 |
1995 | 1,432 |
1996 | 1,374 |
1997 | 1,209 |
1998 | 945 |
1999 | 831 |
2000 | 1,333 |
2001 | 869 |
2002 | 19,581 |
2003 | 35,259 |
2004 | 29,345 |
2005 | 56,727 |
2006 | 71,524 |
2007 | 55,986 |
2008 | 27,485 |
2009 | 9,046 |
2010 | 3,812 |
2011 | 0 |
So what went wrong? For starters, the H2 was a victim of the times. It was large, expensive, and extremely thirsty for gas—attributes that don’t fare well during an economic recession.
In fact, the H2 never received an official fuel economy rating from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) because it was too heavy. Regulations at the time excluded vehicles over 8,500 lbs from testing, though journalists observed an average of less than 10 mpg.
The H3 mitigated some of these issues by downsizing, and it quickly become the brand’s best selling vehicle. This success was short-lived, as the H3 alone could not sustain the brand.
Jolted to Life
In 2020, GM announced the all-electric Hummer EV. It bears a strong resemblance to the H2, carrying over iconic design elements such as the front grill with vertical slats.
Compared to the H2, this electric model is longer, wider, and heavier. Estimates suggest that it will weigh over 9,000 lbs, which according to EPA estimates, is more than double the weight of the average car. This is primarily attributed to the truck’s vast quantity of battery packs.
Power is also increased thanks to the electric drivetrain, with the “Edition 1” model boasting 1,000 horsepower from its three electric motors (a similar configuration to Tesla’s Plaid platform). Lesser models, which only have two motors, are expected to generate north of 600 horsepower.
A Promising Restart
Will battery power be the key to the Hummer’s long-term success?
So far, GM appears to have played its cards right. New trucks are outselling new cars by a ratio of 3-to-1 in the U.S., and the release of the Hummer EV is well-timed to capitalize on this trend.
The Hummer EV also sheds one of its predecessors’ biggest weaknesses—fuel consumption. With gas prices at all-time highs, can we dare to call the new Hummer “economical”?
Either way, GM is certainly enjoying the economic benefits of its decision. Over 65,000 pre-orders have been received, and production of the Hummer EV is completely sold out until 2024. The truck is being built at Factory Zero in Michigan, which is GM’s first EV-dedicated production facility.
Misc
Charted: Car Brand Loyalty in 2024
This ranking of car brand loyalty shows what percentage of owners would buy from the same brand for their next vehicle.
Car Brand Loyalty in 2024
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
This graphic visualizes the best and worst car brands in terms of brand loyalty. This is measured by the % of current owners who would buy from the same brand for their next vehicle.
Data comes from Consumer Reports’ owner satisfaction survey, which includes responses from owners of more than 330,000 vehicles.
Car Brands With the Most Loyal Customers
Rivian takes the top spot in this ranking, with 86% of owners saying they would buy from the brand again. The EV startup has carved an interesting niche for itself with its outdoor adventure-focused models, and despite several recalls, appears to have won the hearts of its early customers.
Company | % who would buy again |
---|---|
🇺🇸 Rivian | 86 |
🇩🇪 Mini | 77 |
🇩🇪 BMW | 76 |
🇩🇪 Porsche | 76 |
🇺🇸 Tesla | 74 |
🇰🇷 Genesis | 73 |
🇯🇵 Lexus | 73 |
🇯🇵 Subaru | 70 |
It’s interesting to note that Tesla held the #1 spot in last year’s ranking.
Car Brands With the Least Loyal Customers
At the other end of the spectrum we have brands with the least loyal customers, suggesting that owners are less satisfied with their purchase.
Company | % who would buy again |
---|---|
🇺🇸 Cadillac | 61 |
🇺🇸 Chrysler | 60 |
🇩🇪 Mercedes-Benz | 59 |
🇩🇪 Audi | 59 |
🇺🇸 Jeep | 58 |
🇯🇵 Nissan | 55 |
🇩🇪 Volkswagen | 51 |
🇯🇵 Infiniti | 43 |
At the bottom of this table is Nissan’s luxury marque, Infiniti, with only 43% of owners saying they would revisit the brand for their next car.
Infiniti dealerships are aware of this alarming trend, and have attributed it to the brand’s aging lineup. In a recent interview, Steve Lapin, Chairman of the Infiniti National Dealer Advisory Board, said: “Product is king. Infiniti doesn’t have the right products right now to compete in the marketplace.”
Interested in learning more about the automotive industry? Check out this graphic, which ranks the world’s top 10 exporters of automotive products.
-
Healthcare5 days ago
The Cost of an EpiPen in Major Markets
-
AI2 weeks ago
Charted: The Jobs Most Impacted by AI
-
Markets1 week ago
Visualizing the Biggest Companies on Major Stock Exchanges
-
Money1 week ago
The World’s Top 50 Largest Banks by Consolidated Assets
-
Demographics1 week ago
Visualizing the Declining Birth Rate in Japan
-
Technology1 week ago
The World’s Largest Corporate Holders of Bitcoin
-
Misc1 week ago
A Map of Global Happiness By Country in 2024
-
Markets1 week ago
The 12 Worst Investment Funds Over the Past Decade