Bottom line: General Motors had teased the arrival of an electric version of its iconic Hummer SUV earlier this year. The automaker has now taken the wraps off the monstrous vehicle with plans to begin production in late 2021. Interestingly, GM will initially build a fully-loaded pickup version of the SUV, called the Hummer Edition 1, followed by three more affordable variants that will become available from 2022 onwards.
GM has electrified the iconic Hummer with nearly the same enormous dimensions, only this time, they're accompanied by crazy performance figures associated with modern EVs.
These figures, as reported earlier, include a power output of up to 1,000hp with a 0-60 time of just three seconds. Hummer also quoted an insane and somewhat misleading 11,500 lb-ft of torque, though that number is actually expected to be around the 1,000 mark, which would still be enough to pull most things out of most places.
It uses an 800-volt electrical architecture with support for 350kW fast charging capable of adding 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes and a full charge in under 40 minutes. The only unimpressive figure is the Hummer's 350-mile range, which is considerably less than Tesla's upcoming Cybertruck that's expected to do up to 500 miles on a single charge.
In terms of powertrain, GM will initially offer a tri-motor setup powered by its Ultium battery tech and AWD in a convertible pickup variant of the Hummer called the Edition 1. This fully-loaded model will cost just over $112,000, while three cheaper variants will arrive later down the line.
These include the $100,000 EV3X arriving in 2022, the dual-motor $90,000 EV2X coming in 2023, and the $80,000 base-spec dual-motor EV2 that's expected to roll out by spring 2024.
With a formidable track record in off-road ruggedness, GM expects the new Hummer EV to be driven across unusual terrain and has equipped the vehicle with four-wheel steering to allow for diagonal driving in what the automaker calls the 'Crab mode.' There's also an 'Extract Mode' which lifts the EV's air suspension by up to 6 inches for navigating around tough obstacles with its chunky 35-inch tires.
Inside, there's a 13.4-inch main infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto support as well as a 12.3-inch digital cluster, both of which are the first to be powered by Epic's Unreal Engine.
Since corners can be tricky to maneuver with a massive vehicle like this, GM will offer the Hummer with its 18-camera Ultravision system, while partially autonomous driving will be enabled by the automaker's Super Cruise tech that's already available in various Cadillacs.
With pickup trucks being an American favorite, GM can expect stiff competition for its EV, especially once rivals like Rivian, Tesla, and Ford with its electric F-150 become available in a few years' time.