General Motors has unveiled the second electric vehicle under the Hummer brand, an SUV costing around $100,000. The SUV will join the electric pickup from Hummer which will hit the markets later this year. GM had discontinued the Hummer brand back in 2010 due to the high fuel consumption and low demand.
The SUV will be shorter in wheelbase compared to the pickup and also shorter on power, but it will share the enormous 11,500 pound-feet (15,594 N-m) of torque that the pickup has. Of course, this is a slightly misleading figure, as it most certainly talks about the torque measured at the wheels. This means that Hummer has multiplied the actual torque by the gear ratios and gotten the 11,500 lb-ft figure. If we talk about the torque produced by the motor, it should be between 1000 and 1100 N-m (737 and 811 lb-ft).
The electric Hummer SUV will go on sale earliest at the start of 2023.
Powertrain and Battery Specs
The electric SUV will take most of the powertrain components that the pickup truck does. It uses GM’s new ‘Ultium’ battery, which gives it a range varying between 250 and 300 miles (403 and 483 km). This figure will depend on the variant you choose. The base variant will feature a 400-volt battery architecture, with an option for 800 volts. On the remaining three variants, 800 volts is standard. The charging rate can go up to 350 KW, with close to 100 miles of range charged in 10 minutes.
The two high-end versions will feature three motors and an output of 830 hp. The torque output, as mentioned before, will be around 1000-1100 N-m. On the other side of the spectrum, there will be two motors, one on each axle and a power output of 625 hp. These variants will get a torque output of around 800 N-m (estimate, not confirmed).
The high-end variants will manage a 0-60 mph (96.5 kph) acceleration in just 3.5 seconds. For a vehicle as big as the Hummer, that is surprisingly quick. Not as quick as the pickup though, which manages a 3-second acceleration.
The SUV will also feature some interesting off-roading goodies from the pickup. This includes the ‘Crabwalk’ using the all-wheel steering (10-degree turn for rear wheels) and adjustable air suspension, which raises the vehicle by 6 inches, known as Extract Mode. There is also an Extreme Off-Road package, with 35-inch tires, underbody protection, low-mounted cameras for improved visibility, enhanced axles and a locking front differential.
Interior Design
The interior is a mixture of rugged design and a futuristic feel. Hummer has decided not to add touchscreen features everywhere just for the sake of appearance. This means a lot of hard buttons, physical switchgear which has a T-shaped shifter and a rotary drive-mode selector. There are four transparent sky panels that are removable, giving the customers what Hummer likes to call “Infinity Roof”.
There will be cutting-edge technology complementing the fresh interior look in the Hummer. A 13.4″ centre touchscreen comes with extensive connectivity options, such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot. There could also be a powerful Bose stereo, built-in navigation, rear-seat infotainment system and wireless charging spots. There is also a 12.3″ touchscreen behind the steering wheel. The frunk is quite large as well, and the trunk can be extended by folding the rear seats.
In terms of driver-assist systems, one can expect an enhanced version of GM’s Super Cruise. This allows hands-free driving on highways. The driver-assist system includes 17 cameras around the body, with forward and rear-facing underbody cameras.
Variants and Pricing
The Hummer SUV will go on sale first with the Edition 1 variant at $105,595. This will hit the market early in 2023. The Hummer EV2X and EV3X will follow in spring 2023, at $89,995 and $99,995 respectively. These two variants will have a range of 300 miles (483 km) and a power output of 625 hp and 830 hp thanks to the dual-motor and tri-motor configurations, respectively.
Finally, the base variant EV2 will go on sale in spring 2024 at $79,995, sharing most of the features with the EV2X, except for the Crabwalk and Extract Mode.
The Advent of Premium Electric SUVs
There is a growing demand for electric SUVs right now, and there aren’t many options for customers to choose from. SUVs and pickup trucks account for a huge chunk of automobile sales in the United States of America. That is the reason why brands like Hummer and Rivian are opting for the SUV-pickup combo. With GM announcing its hopes of stopping combustion vehicle sales by 2035, the re-introduction of Hummer makes sense.
A major thing of discussion here is the absence of Tesla in this segment. Not literally, of course, as the Californian automaker has the Model X in place. But anyone remotely familiar with Tesla’s history knows that Model X is the least-liked Tesla car on the market currently. And companies like GM and Rivian have recognized the almost-untapped potential of this segment, and have started to exploit it.
Our Opinion
GM’s mission of completing full electrification of the brand by 2035 has accelerated the return of Hummer. The subbrand has a certain aura, a “wow factor” which can definitely sway some customers their way. And the specs they offer are definitely eye-catching. Features like the Crabwalk and Extract Mode will pull in the off-roading fans. And driver and passenger experience is expected to be classy and exciting at the same time.
General Motors has said it will invest up to $27 billion towards the development of electric and autonomous vehicles in the coming few years, so the electrification of Hummer is just the beginning.
The Hummer is not even close to the specks of the Tesla Truck. .range ,power,charging speed etc. And with the price beeing almost twice as high is going to fail…other GM failure