Hummer H1 On Tracks Runs A Hybrid Biodiesel Powerplant For Arctic Exploration

Hummer Nation recently featured the Polar Traverse Vehicle (PTV) “Tuezday,” a heavily modified Hummer H1 built to cross the unforgiving terrain of the South Pole. Now, we’re taking an in-depth look at Tueszday’s sister vehicle, Buddy1.

Both Tuezday and Buddy1 were conceived by the non-profit organization Drive Around the World as part of its World Zero South project. The goal of the project was to “demonstrate what humanity is capable of achieving on zero fossil fuels,” aiming to exploring the Arctic using only batteries and biofuels.

Like Tuezday, Buddy1 is based on a civilian-spec Hummer H1, with the former from the 1998 model year, and the latter from the 1996 model year. The vehicle was also fitted with an ambulance hardtop from a military HMMWV, offering enhanced insulation and greater utility.

Interestingly, the build retains parts of the Hummer H1 suspension. However, to more easily roll over the icy terrain, Buddy1 also runs a set of Mattracks at all four corners, which provide 18 inches by 56 inches of contact patch to grip the frozen ground.

While the Buddy1 PTV certainly looks impressive, the technical specs under the skin are arguably the most interesting bits. The beating heart of this hybrid powerplant is a Steyr M160068-M VTI turbodiesel 3.2L six-cylinder running on Honeywell Synthetic Paraffin Kerosene biofuel. There’s also three UQM electric motors, one of which is connected to the turbodiesel’s flywheel, plus two 150 kW units for the front differential pinion and rear differential. As for the batteries, this Hummer H1 runs two packs connected in series, with four 96-volt lithium-ion modules per pack.

Running in hybrid mode, the Buddy1 Hummer can cover 628 miles, while EV mode nets 32 miles.

Unfortunately, the Zero South team never made it to Antarctica, but did complete a 27-day test stint in Alaska in 2016. Now, the Buddy1 Hummer H1 PTV can be seen on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.

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