Of all the brands and nameplates that could have been resurrected as electric vehicles, a year ago I wouldn’t have placed odds on Hummer. Yet, here we are. GMC just officially introduced the new electric beast and the brand is calling it a supertruck. Scoff at your own peril. The new GMC Hummer EV—production begins in late 2021—shoots to 60 mph in approximately 3 seconds with launch control armed.
We’ll only get the pickup version in the first year and an SUV will follow. The first model to debut will be the Edition 1, the top spec model that’s equipped with almost everything the brand has to offer.
“We had one goal for Hummer EV: Build the most capable factory truck—ever,” said Al Oppenheiser, GMC Hummer EV chief engineer. “It’s an absolute off-road beast with a unique e4WD system that provides maneuverability unlike anything GM has ever offered before.”
Power storage comes from GM’s Ultium batteries and power delivery comes from three separate motors within two Ultium drive units. Those are good for 1,000 hp and a GM-claimed 11,500 lb-ft of torque. That second figure is a little misleading, before the reduction gears are factored in torque is rated between 1,000 and 1,100 lb-ft, still extremely impressive. One motor is in front and two are at the rear, divvying torque between the wheels. GM says we should get about 350 miles of range. That’s also impressive. The fact that on a phase 2 charger the EV takes 30 hours to get from 20-80% percent charge is a little concerning, but like we said, this thing is a beast.
The Hummer EV is compatible with DC fast chargers, which enables 100 miles of range in 10 minutes.
The Hummer EV gets rear steering, but unlike most cars with the feature, the rear wheels can grab 10 degrees of angle, allowing the massive ute to “CrabWalk,” enabling diagonal movement. Could be good for parking; especially good for off road. Standard tires measure 35 inches but the wheel wells can fit 37s if you need that extra…capability. It can climb an 18-inch vertical surface and ford water more than 2 feet deep. Underbody armor, also known as skid plates, keep all the important bits protected.
The suspension is independent, front and rear, partially due to the Ultium battery sandwich being used as a structural component. Air shocks have 8 inches ride height travel, though GMC didn’t give us breakover or departure angles, approach angle maximum is 50 degrees.
Other features include Super Cruise, the hands-free, semi-autonomous driving system from Cadillac, up to 18 cameras covering everything including your front bumper, several drive modes, rock rails on Edition 1 and a bunch of widgets that tell you what you need to know in the 13.4-inch infotainment system. That will display stuff like torque used, diff locker engagement, tire pressure, pitch and roll angles, etc.
The Hummer EV will technically be considered a convertible. The roof is made of four segments that all fit in the front trunk. I-bar supports the go in the back seat, or your garage.
We don’t have pricing yet, but considering the size and power, it won’t be cheap. I’ll take a guess here and say the Hummer EV Edition 1 will sticker for $65,599 and the lesser, later arriving models will be in the $50K range. It will be a 2022 model year, and production begins in the third quarter of next year.
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