Hummer EV revealed: 745kW truck prioritises tech, off-road

The GMC Hummer EV pickup truck has been revealed in all its glory, with the all-electric ute revealed via a live-stream event in the USA.

Claimed to be the “most capable factory truck – ever” and an “off-road beast” the Hummer EV represents the rebirth of one of the most iconic (albeit shortlived) names in off-road vehicles.

After months of teasing by parent company General Motors, the reborn Hummer brand – it’s offically a GMC Hummer – will initially consist of a large four-door pickup truck, with an SUV following soon after.

It’s known simply as the GMC Hummer EV.

Underneath is an 800V electrical architecture (double the voltage of most EVs) and GM’s much-hyped Ultium lithium-ion batteries, which claim efficiency improvements over regular lithium-ion batteries.

Charging can be done at up to 350kW, providing up to 100 miles of range (161km) in 10 minutes.

The GMC Hummer EV will ride on GM’s BEV3 modular electric platform and will have battery capacities up to 200kWh. GM estimates a driving range of “350+ miles” or upwards of 563km.

“This innovative truck comes to market with speed and purpose, bringing GM another step closer to an all-electric future,” said former Holden boss and now General Motors president Mark Reuss.

“With our Ultium Drive architecture as the foundation for an exceptionally broad range of performance, Hummer EV is perfect for the customer who wants capability, efficiency and performance.”

The Hummer EV has three electric motors. GM estimates the production version of the GMC Hummer EV – which arrives early in 2021 – will make 1000 horspower, or about 745kW in the modern scale.

The sprint to 60mph (96km/h) is estimated to take about 3 seconds, making it quicker off the mark than some Porsches and Ferraris.

The legend of the Hummer brand was created on battlefields around the world as a purpose built military vehicle, but the new Hummer (technically a sub-brand of GMC) is very much focused on suburban driveways.

Instead of helicopter hooks, a dirty big diesel engine and onboard tyre inflators, the new Hummer has a big focus on connectivity and technology.

Like arch rival Jeep, Hummer appears to have scattered various “Easter eggs” – or unexpected surprises – around the car. One is the subtle Hummer “H” and branding in the LED tail lights.

Despite the tech focus, at the same time Hummer has a big focus on going off-road with ease.

There are 35-inch mud-terrain tyres and adaptive air suspension that can raise the body an additional 149mm.

The batteries are protected by “underbody armour”, which consists of steel plates “to help provide protection in extreme off-roading conditions”.

Chief engineer Al Oppenheiser said the development focus was on ensuring the Hummer EV lived up to the immense Hummer expectations.

“We had one goal for Hummer EV: Build the most capable factory truck – ever,” he said.

“It’s an absolute off-road beast with a unique e4WD drive system that provides maneuverability unlike anything GM has ever offered before.”

The Hummer will also be fitted with a CrabWalk mode, which allows front and rear wheels to turn at the same angle, allowing the car to ‘crab’ around obstacles.

Taking a leaf out of Land Rover’s tech artillery is UltraVision, which uses cameras to provide a virtual view of what’s happening under the car, in turn allowing for better wheel placement when traversing tracks and trails.

Inside there’s little of the industrial military flavour of original Hummers – some may call them “real” Hummers – and instead the emphasis is on luxury and technology.

A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and massive 13.4-inch infotainment screen also incorporates “off-road widgets”, which provide information on everything from torque output, differential lock status and tyre pressures to pitch and roll angles, a drift gauge, friction circle and torque vectoring.

A sizeable “frunk” (or front trunk) allows additional storage up front on top of the rear tray that can be covered with a powered tonneau.

Following the lead set by predominantly European luxury brands, GM has also created a Hummer EV Edition 1, with some unique equipment and additions.

As for seeing the Hummer EV in Australia, no word yet.

Clearly the focus is initially on North America, where pickup trucks are
B-I-G business.

But Australia is also increasingly showing interest in large American utes. And Australia was one of the markets GM sold Hummers previously.