EV Hummer gets real with new prototype unveiled

December 10, 2020January 14, 2021 Stephen Corby 2078 Views

Cruel and cynical types who predicted that GM would never actually achieve its stated goal of building a fully electric version of the Hummer liked to point out that company didn’t actually have a working prototype when it made the announcement, and garnered all the publicity. But now such a prototype actually exists, and GM has issued a video to prove it.

The GMC Hummer EV, described as an electric “supertruck”, was announced in October, wiht a price tag kicking off at US$80,000 and an all-electric range of up to 560km, which is pretty damn impressive for a vehicle the size of Tasmania.

GMC Hummer EV prototype being built ahead of testing

There was much excitement among the kind of people who fear not being able to live in an EV world if it doesn’t contain giant trucks, and GM pledged that it would get the Hummer EV pickup truck to market by 2021, which would be a damn quick turnaround for a vehicle that didn’t really exist yet.

The first one to arrive will be a high-end, more expensive Hummer, while the temptingly priced entry model won’t actually lob until around 2024.

GM describes the Hummer as being on an accelerated development cycle, which is an understatement, and happily showed off some renderings of what it would look like at the launch, causing some unkind people to accuse the company of showing off “vaporware” (a nerdy term meaning something that doesn’t actually exist).

Now, though, the whole world can see a GMC Hummer EV prototype being tinkered with by engineers, and even driven. As GM explains:

GMC Hummer EV prototype testing at the Milford Proving Ground in Michigan

“The GMC Hummer EV has arrived at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds to continue validation tests and will head to northern Michigan to run through the team’s gruelling winter testing process.

“We will document the journey and share updates in the coming weeks and months.

“The Hummer EV’s development speed was enabled by extensive virtual testing, which will be a hallmark of GM programs moving forward and it will begin initial production in fall 2021.”

Fall, by the way, means autumn.

One cute little touch in the video is that you can see the Hummer prototype is wearing a number plate that says: “OMGREAL”. Take that, ye doubters.

Stephen Corby

Stephen is a former editor of both Wheels and Top Gear Australia magazines and has been writing about cars since Henry Ford was a boy. Initially an EV sceptic, he has performed a 180-degree handbrake turn and is now a keen advocate for electrification and may even buy a Porsche Taycan one day, if he wins the lottery. Twice.