Back in the day, the original Humvee was, perhaps not by coincidence, was often compared to a certain Italian 4x4 multipurpose vehicle. This Italian car was older and carried a valuable badge. It also had an uncanny resemblance to the original H1. It was the Lamborghini (yes, you read that right) LM002.
General Motors recently, revived the Hummer line with an all-electric configuration. The first units sold were the Hev pickups in 2022. Lamborghini too has some big plans for electrification. The Hummer electric pickup was a success. What if Lamborghini could revisit the LM002? And use an all-electric configuration to compete in the U.S. market? How would a hypothetical all-electric LM002 pit against the current all-electric Hummer?
Winning Hearts And Minds
But first, a quick history lesson. Back in 1983, AM General, a subsidiary of the American Motors Corporation, won a contract with the U.S. Army. This contract was for the production of 55,000 vehicles over five years. The vehicle in question was the original M998 A0 series or the Hummer H1.
The original military model tipped the scales at 11,500 pounds. It had a payload of 3,350 pounds and came with a 6.5 Liter turbocharged V-8 diesel engine. It had a 3-speed automatic transmission. This was a rather simple but resistant and reliable powertrain. The engine produced 190 horsepower at 3,400 rpm. Considering its low power output and high weight, it comes as no surprise it wasn’t a very fast vehicle.
Its service in the US Military ran between 1983 through 2018. The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), otherwise known as Humvee, first saw combat during Operation Just Cause in Panama, in 1989. It then went on to serve in most subsequent U.S. military operations until its retirement in 2018.
This vehicle served its purpose well. Not only in combat but also as a road-legal product in the US. The American public first got to know the Humvee during the Gulf War of 1990 and 1991. For the first time, there was a lot of television coverage of a war. The Humvee became a protagonist on the small screen. The brute, purpose-driven design of the vehicle captured the attention of the American public.
So much so that a civilian version of the H1 went into production in 1992. This marked the beginning of the Hummer Brand. In 1999 General Motors bought the brand name and marketed and sold three civilian versions: The Original H1, and later the Hummer H2 and H3 variants. Production ended in 2010.
The Rambo Lambo
The LM002 was produced between 1986 and 1993. Just like the original Hummer, the LM002 too was made for military use. Being a Lamborghini, however, the performance had its place in the model. It featured a powerful naturally aspirated 5.2 Liter, gasoline V-12. It produced 450 horsepower at 6800 rpm. With a curb weight of 5952 pounds and a five-speed manual transmission, it could go from 0-60 MPH in 7.9 seconds. And it would reach 117 MPH. This is a rare car and only about 300 examples were made.
Jusr like the Hummer, Lamborghini worked on a civilian model variant too. This time, the car had a more luxurious Italian interior, air conditioning, and a good stereo. And as if the original 5.2 Liter V-12 wasn't enough at the time, you could order a special version named L804. This one came with a 7.2 Liter V-12 marine engine used in offshore powerboats.
The Electric Wars
Currently, the only layout offered in the Hummer is the one with three electric motors. That makes a total of 1000 horsepower and 11,500 pound-feet of torque according to GM’s estimates. Some independent tests showed a 0-60 MPH time of only 3.3 seconds.
A full-size electric pickup accelerating that fast seems to already be pushing the line a bit. It would be reasonable to assume that Lamborghini would use a similar configuration. Perhaps with a little more power, being a Lamborghini and all. The Hummer tests showed a long stopping distance and noticeable brake fade. The all-electric LM002 would be superior, given Lamborghini’s experience with high-performance cars.
Range, Interior, Safety Features, And Amenities
The range of the Hummer is more than 350 miles as per GM’s estimates. Since a pickup is expected to carry weight on the bed and have tow capabilities, that range could drop to sub 200 miles.
The same would be expected of the Lamborghini. Being more performance-driven, it is difficult to imagine the designers would add more heavy batteries for the sake of range.
The Hummer EV has a great interior. It has all you would expect for a car with a price tag beginning in the six-figure range. Safety features have become a sort of commodity on high-end cars and both would be equal in that aspect. The Lamborghini, being a premium brand, would bring luxurious interior design and materials. The price of the Lamborghini would likely be higher than that of the Hummer.
Conclusion
The all-electric Hummer has proven to be a great full-size pickup. In the past, when the original H1 was compared to Lamborghini’s LM002, it was clear that the H1 focused on durability, while the LM002 focused on performance. Their civilian variants carried over many of the same characteristics. Whichever would be best on the battlefield is hard to say. Lamborghini’s high mobility multipurpose military vehicle never saw real action.
But it would be hard to work on six double-barrel carburetors behind enemy lines. That could be the reason the LM002 didn’t sell well in its military variant, while the H1 sold in the hundreds of thousands. The Lamborghini was, regardless, the first true performance SUV ever conceived. That heritage and pedigree must count for something. Just look at their recent success with the Lamborghini Urus.