Gale Banks is a national treasure and an absolute powerhouse in the diesel tuning world. His Southern California shop, Banks Power, is the stuff of legend, so it’s not surprising that the U.S. Army turned to the tuning wizard to develop a hybrid system for its aging workhorse, the Humvee. Banks’ work was successful, and we’re now learning some of the details behind the intriguing build.
The Humvee, or AM General HMMWV, has been around for decades, and its diesel powertrain isn’t up to the task of modern warfare like it once was. It’s also not the most efficient configuration in the world, making it ripe for electrification.
The shop employed an 800-volt battery and an electric motor assisting a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6. Banks said the resulting vehicle is quicker and faster than the original and offers a longer driving range. The electric drivetrain components provide other benefits in the form of silent driving range and the ability to power “an entire mobile tactical operations center.”
Banks himself filmed the reveal video, during which he said, “We’ve not only made the Humvee relevant again, we’ve future-proofed it.” His presence on camera usually means we’re about to get an in-depth explainer on a complicated internal combustion-related topic, but the teaser video is notably short on detail. Interior photos show a drive selection switch to toggle between hybrid, diesel, and electric modes, and there are some upgraded Banks gauges added to the Hummer’s dash.
Banks Power’s Humvee is impressive, but it’s just one of many projects the shop has turned out over the years. Recently, Banks went to SEMA with a 1966 Chevy C10 pickup named Lokjaw. The slammed, rusty truck runs a Banks diesel engine making 600 horsepower. We don’t yet have specs for the Humvee, but we’d bet they’re every bit as exciting as the shop’s hotrods.
