The new Hummer EV got all the buzz since the day GMC announced it will be teasing the new “truck” in a Super Bowl commercial. There were a lot of rumors regarding the Hummer’s revival, but none of them provided enough information and details about this revival.
In fact, even GMC has revealed only three details about the Hummer so far – the horsepower, torque, and 0-60 mph figure. Was it enough to create an itch in our brains? Of course! GMC has been tight-lipped about pretty much everything, but we should be able to get some more information about the Hummer EV until it debuts on May 20, 2020. Here's what we know so far.
The Hummer EV Has Breached the Four-Digit Power Output Mark
There is no word on how many motors will work in tandem to do this, but the Hummer EV could very well feature a four-motor setup. In comparison, Rivian R1T’s four-motor setup makes 788 horses and Bollinger B2’s produces 614 ponies. Official figures for the Cybertruck are not out yet, but in the top-spec tri-motor setup, it should be in the ballpark of 700 horses.
11,500 Pound-Feet Of Torque Is Next-Level Shizz!
Tesla and Rivian haven’t revealed their torque figures yet, but Bollinger has for its twins. They make 668 pound-feet of torque. Yep, nowhere close to the Hummer EV. Unless another automaker comes up with such a ridiculous torque figure, the revived brand’s first EV will be the undisputed king of twist. And it goes unsaid that the towing figure should be similarly outrageous.
0-60 mph In Three Seconds Flat!
This indicates that the Hummer EV will be a huge, heavy vehicle with perhaps not-so-great aerodynamics. It could also come with a lot of off-road equipment that would limit its sprinting prowess to an extent.
Our guesstimates for the GMC Hummer EV
How Much Will The Hummer EV Tow?
When Tesla and Ford fought to prove who the undisputed towing king is, one thing was clear – an electric truck’s instant torque availability can do wonders in this aspect.
However, those were one-off claims and we cannot expect a similar range in production trucks due to various factors.
In theory, with 11,500 pound-feet of torque at its disposal from the word ‘go’, the Hummer EV could even move a mountain! But, what are we looking at here? In real-world conditions, even if GMC can come up with a towing rating of 50,000-60,000 pounds, it’ll be quite impressive. Expecting anything more than that will be a sin.
What Range Could It Offer?
Hummer will look to bury the ghosts of the past in the fuel economy aspect. The yesteryear Hummers were known for their thirsty nature, so GMC will look to make up for it with this revival.
Although the launch is scheduled in May this year, the Hummer EV is expected to reach customers sometime in 2022. By then, the market would’ve developed and matured enough and EVs will offer a fairly high range than what they do today.
Rivian said its cars will offer up to 400 miles of range, whereas the Cybertruck will vary from 250 miles to 500 miles, depending on the trim. The Hummer EV will definitely not be a cheap product, so a bigger battery pack with a high range is a must even in the base trims.
Will This Even Be A Pickup Truck?
Hummer never had a pickup truck under its marque, so GMC might be inclined to give it truck-like capabilities in a big, brawny SUV form. That explains why it didn’t announce the towing figures; which is one of the first things a company announces to hype the product, especially in the EV segment.
I mean, Tesla did that with the Cybertruck’s 300,000-pound towing capacity. Ford retaliated with the electric F-150’s 1.25-million-pound towing video soon after. So, why wouldn’t GMC do that?
But if you look at it the other way round, you don’t need an SUV with such extreme torque figures, really, unless you want to hitch a whole house. Does this mean Hummer will follow Rivian and Bollinger’s footsteps and launch an SUV and a pickup truck simultaneously? Or even better (or worse, perhaps?), will Hummer launch a bizarre product that works as both? Highly unlikely, but we can give you nightmares about it! *wink, wink*
In-Wheel Hub Motors On The Hummer EV?
This is a unique approach that very few automakers have used until now (Lightyear and Lordstown on the One and the Endurance, respectively), because it has not been prioritized by other EV manufacturers for mass production.
With in-wheel hub motors, GMC and Hummer will have to make use of custom brakes as well. On the flip side, these motors offer better maneuverability and reduce energy consumption as well as the power lost at the wheel.
A tank turn-esque feature cannot be ruled out either. GMC managed to bring about a “Hurricane Turn” in an internal combustion engine itself, so who’s to stop it from featuring something like this in an EV?
Final Thoughts
Hummer was known to be this badass company that produced SUVs that could crush other vehicles on the road with ease. People would give way if they spotted one in their rearview mirrors. This made sense, after all, as they were civilian versions of military vehicles.
Hummer will not be a separate marque but will sell as a GMC product. Unless GM loses its mind and comes up with a shoddy vehicle, the Hummer EV will be one of the biggest “trucks” available to the public. It also goes unsaid that it will be off-road-oriented since that is what Hummer was known for.
What's more, GMC is planning to add an off-road AT4 guise in all of its portfolio, so the Hummer EV could continue that trend in the “Quiet Revolution” form for GMC. It will also be interesting to see how the Hummer will fare on the tech front inside the cabin, as well as in terms of range.
The Hummer EV commercial was aired during the Super Bowl. The real car, however, is expect to be revealed in the metal on May 20, 2020. GMC plans to mass-produce the vehicle and the $2.2 billion investment into the resurrected brand - and EVs in general - is a testimony to that. The Hummer EV will be built at GM’s Hamtramck assembly facility in Detroit.
What do you expect from the Hummer EV? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.