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GMC's electric Hummer could someday serve alongside the Humvee in the U.S. Army

Every civilian Hummer model traces its roots to AM General's Humvee, which made its combat debut when the United States invaded Panama in 1989. Fast forward to the 2020s, and the tables have turned. The born-again Hummer that will arrive with an electric powertrain and a GMC emblem could spawn a military-spec truck. "[The upcoming Hummer] is a full-size truck with 400 miles of range and 1,000 pound-feet of torque, it's a very highly capable vehicle. That could provide a great base platform for an electric vehicle to be used in the military context," said David Albritton, the president of General Motors Defense, in an interview with GM Authority. Although he didn't sketch out the Hummer's role in a battalion, its range, torque, and dimensions would theoretically make it well-suited to carrying soldiers, weapons, and/or gear like radio equipment. It wouldn't necessarily look like the production model (shown above in a preview image). General Motors Defense might use its basic platform and its powertrain technology to build a purpose-designed off-roader, like it did with the Colorado Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) it will soon begin manufacturing for the Army. The ISV shares 90% of its parts with the regular-production Chevrolet Colorado, but the two vehicles look nothing alike. Securing a contract with the American military is easier said than done, and Army officials haven't publicly expressed an interest in sending the upcoming Hummer into a war zone. We'll learn more about what a battle-ready electric truck could look like after the showroom-bound model makes its debut. In the meantime, Humvee production continues, and AM General introduced a comprehensively updated model named NXT 360 in 2018. Related Video:     Green GMC Hummer Truck Electric Military

Mil-Spec built a one-off, track-ready Hummer H1

Mil-Spec is one of the latest companies looking for success with restored and modified versions of iconic vehicles. Rather than Porsche 911s or '60s trucks and SUVs, its canvases are Hummer H1s. The customer vehicles are big, brash off-road machines, but that's not all the company is capable of. We recently learned that the crew over there built a Hummer H1 meant for race track use, and it is amazing. The base vehicle is a four-door convertible pickup truck, and Mil-Spec thoroughly changed the suspension. It has custom coilovers with stiff springs, and the entire suspension geometry has been revised. Overall, it was lowered a stunning seven inches compared with a stock H1. The H1's in-board brakes now feature six-piston brake calipers, and the wheels are wrapped in low-profile Pirelli P-Zero tires. Also impressive is the fact that the truck still has a part-time four-wheel-drive system. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Under the hood is a 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V8 similar to that in the customer models. But this one has been tuned all the way up to 800 horsepower and 1,500 pound-feet of torque. This engine also plays a role in this truck's origins. Apparently the truck was used for final powertrain testing and development. But it was also built to highlight the company's capabilities. If you want one of these, well, you can't have one. At least not yet. We asked a Mil-Spec representative, and he told us that there are no plans for offering track-oriented H1s. That's understandable, since the company is still working through building and selling its initial run of 12 off-road-ready vehicles. He did say the truck has generated a lot of interest, though. So, maybe when the company has time, and if a really wealthy buyer really wanted one, maybe the Mil-Spec could work something out. But at least in the meantime, the company is sticking to tall, chunky-tired H1s. Related Video:

GM, Pilot will build EVgo fast chargers at 500 truck stops across U.S.

All of our maps showing electric vehicle charging stations across the U.S. are going to need an update. Today, General Motors, Pilot and EVgo announced plans to work together on a nationwide DC fast charging network. The plan calls for 2,000 charging stalls that can deliver up to 350 kW to be installed at up to 500 Pilot and Flying J travel centers in the U.S. The goal is to have DC fast chargers available in 50-mile intervals across the country. The new charging stations will feature GM's "Ultium Charge 360" branding and "Pilot Flying J" logos but will not be limited to drivers of GM EVs. The plugs will use CCS connectors and be available to anyone. GM EV owners can take advantage of benefits, including the ability to make exclusive reservations, get discounts on charging costs and streamline the charging process with Plug and Charge and in-vehicle apps that can provide real-time charger availability. The first installation phase will take place in 2023, and "the bulk of the installations" should be completed by 2025, EVgo CEO Kathy Zoi said during a conference call with reporters announcing the plan. "We're gonna get going immediately and commence all of that engineering and planning stuff," she said. "We've got a pretty orderly plan." Pilot CEO Shameek Konar said the company expects the new EV charging stations to coexist with the current fuel infrastructure. "An average Pilot Flying J location is about 10 acres," Konar said. "This will be in addition to all of our gas pumps. The way I think about it is, this is a new source of energy that is going to coexist with gas for quite some time. We can debate how long, but we need to serve both groups of customers." Installing DC fast chargers at hundreds of Pilot's travel centers — aka truck stops — means there should be food, drinks, restrooms, WiFi and even showers available while you wait for an EV to charge. Pilot recently announced its “New Horizons” plan that will invest $1 billion in upgrading Pilot travel centers with more premium amenities, including expanded seating and lounge areas. While the exact amount of time it will take to charge an EV using these new stations will vary on the EV and its current state of charge, most EVs can refill from a low state of charge to around 80 percent in 20-30 minutes on a fast charger. The new stations are future-proofed to deliver up to 350 kW, a charge rate that few EVs today can handle.