It’s all about the packaging.
It will be a good two years before the GMC Hummer EV SUV goes on sale, but we pretty much know everything about the electron-guzzling behemoth after its debut last weekend. That includes the less-powerful output from its three electric motors when compared to the Hummer EV truck that hit daylight in October last year.
Of note, the Hummer EV supertruck produces a GM-estimated 1,000 horsepower (746 kilowatts) and dubious 11,500 pound-feet (15,592 Newton-meters) of torque. In comparison, the newly-revealed Hummer EV SUV makes only 830 hp (619 kW), but GMC said that the mentioned wheel torque stands.
Gallery: 2024 GMC Hummer SUV
Why is it so? Apparently, it’s all in the packaging. as explained by GMC Hummer EV chief engineer Al Oppenheiser in a media interview reported by Muscle Cars & Trucks.
The Hummer EV SUV’s wheelbase is 9 inches shorter than that of the truck’s (20 inches shorter overall), which means there are fewer battery packs and modules fitted into the GM Ultium modular platform. And for EVs, fewer batteries means fewer electrons flowing into the motors, ergo, less power.
With the GM Ultium modular platform, GMC had the choice to shoehorn the same number of battery packs and modules, “but that compromises cargo space and a flat load floor. We didn’t want to do that,” Oppenheiser said.
It’s not like 830 hp is something to scoff at. Given the Hummer EV SUV’s off-road capabilities, that figure should be more than enough. Besides, keeping the vehicle’s overall length to a minimum has its advantages in terms of handling and maneuverability.
“Frankly, we are not sorry that it’s only 830 horsepower. There aren’t many internal combustion engines that can say that,” Oppenheiser added during the interview.
Will there be a chance in the future to increase that power? Oppenheiser said that as technology progresses, battery modules may become smaller and more efficient, which would mean a possibility to improve the Hummer EV SUV’s performance numbers.
Source:
Muscle Cars & Trucks
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