GAS GUZZLER REBORN
GMC REINTRODUCING BRAND WITH AN ALL-ELECTRIC PO WER TRAIN FOR THE 2022 MARKET
And isn’t it ironic? Don’t you think? If Alanis Morissette ever gets around to updating her 1996 song Ironic, might I suggest the line, “It’s like owning a Hummer/ And not stopping for gas”?
Yes, the brash, big brute that was so long synonymous with petrolhead excess (with apologies to the Cadillac Escalade) now has become emblematic of high- minded, zero- emissions motoring.
One can only wonder when the remaining Three Horsemen of the Apocalypse will appear.
The GMC Hummer EV was revealed to much fanfare, including a primetime commercial slot in the opening game of baseball’s World Series. The General’s marketing department wouldn’t be so cheeky as to have Dodger ace Clayton Kershaw hurl a ball at the driver’s side window, would they? Probably not, but that’s certainly not to say this all- new, all- electric pickup isn’t as brazen and teeming with Type- A attitude as the Tesla Cybertruck.
Dubbed a “supertruck” by GM, the Hummer EV is the first fully electric GMC model and will be powered by the all- new 24- module doublestacked Ultium battery and Ultium Drive architecture.
The first model, expected to be available in Canada in the fall of 2022, is called the Edition 1 and will feature a three- motor E4WD drive system that will offer the equivalent of 1,000 horse
power and 11,500 pound-feet of wheel torque. ( It should be noted here that all performance targets, estimates, and capability specifications are based on computer- aided analysis and simulation using virtual engineering tools. We’ll have to wait 18 months or so for real- world numbers).
The Edition 1 will have 800- volt DC public fast- charging compatibility of up to 350 kw, with unique, industry- first technology that mechanically switches the batteries from parallel to series mode during charging. According to GM, that will enable nearly 160 kilometres of range in
10 minutes of DC charging. As to full- charge range, GM estimates it will be 560- plus km. As impressive as that number is, the Hummer EV’S sprint from zero to 97 km/ h in three seconds flat is the one that will get the most attention.
Not quite so fast, but equally intriguing, is something called Crab Walk, a segment- exclusive feature that allows the rear wheels and front wheels to steer at the same angle at low speeds, allowing diagonal movement of the vehicle on challenging terrain. Off-roaders will love that.
The Drive Mode Control allows you to dial in torque
splits between the front and rear wheels, Terrain Mode raises the ride height by more than five centimetres using the adaptive air suspension, and Extract Mode enables the suspension height to be raised more than 15 cm for extreme offroad situations.
That off- road cred is beefed up further with standard 35- inch tires with the capability to accommodate 37-inch tires, and underbody armour, with steel plates located around the battery pack to help provide protection in extreme off- roading conditions.
And it’s not all electrical and mechanical innovation that will set the Hummer EV apart from the coming- soon all- electric EV pickup pack. The standard Infinity Roof features removable transparent panels that stow in the frunk storage compartment ( at the front of the vehicle), providing an open- air driving experience.
Inside the cabin are a 13.4- inch infotainment screen and a 12.3- inch driver- information centre display. Along with the usual information and controls found on displays these days, these screens will also show a number of off- road functions and terrain status, such as torque output, differential locker engagement, tire pressure, pitch and roll, a drift gauge, friction circle and torque vectoring.
There are also front and rear underbody cameras with live “virtual spotter” views to help drivers navigate obstacles and place wheels on and off the trail, and they’re equipped with a wash function to help clear debris. And speaking of camera views, the Hummer EV will offer 18 of them.
Other features include a Multipro Tailgate with six functional positions, a power rear drop glass window, and a power tonneau cover.
U. S. production will begin in late 2021, at GM’S Factory Zero in Detroit- Hamtramck, while Canadian production will start in the fall of 2022, with trucks to be sold through the GMC Canada dealer network. No pricing has been released for Canada, but U. S. pricing for the Edition 1 will start at US$ 112,000, and the base model, expected in 2023, will start at US$80,000.