THE BIG, THE BAD & THE PRICEY
The Hummer is making a comeback… in about a year from now... as an electric vehicle (EV)! Here’s to hoping that the sequel will be better than the original gas guzzling monstrosity. Following Ford’s lead in pinning its iconic Mustang brand to a new EV, General Motors are betting the company jewels, like its GMC Hummer brand, on EV success.
With only one prototype of the new GMC Hummer EV on display, GM reckons that this beast will accelerate from 0-100 km/h in about three seconds. We pray the brakes can deal with the momentum. And if that does not take your breath away, the sticker price of $112,595 (approximately R1.8 million) for the Edition 1, scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2021, is sure to leave you breathless. Even so, GM confirmed that the Edition 1 reservations were filled in a day, without providing context regarding the number of reservations, or the number of units that are planned for production. The Edition 1 is fitted with three electric motors that produce 745 kW of power and an estimated 16,000 Nm of torque, probably measured as wheel torque.
In typical big brother fashion, GM did not reveal the size of the battery, which suggests that it must be a big battery, perhaps as big as 200 kWh for the Edition 1. Range is estimated to be around 560 km, and since the Hummer EV will be capable of 350 kW charging rates, charging the battery should be relatively quick if you can find a 350 KW public charger.
The Edition 1 offers every conceivable function desired in a luxury extreme offroad capable vehicle, from crab mode to a six-function MultiPro Tailgate, and much more. Once GM reveals a production prototype, we will be sure to provide you with a detailed and in-depth analysis of the new Hummer EV laundry list.
The Hummer EV will be the first allelectric vehicle in the GMC portfolio, and apart from the Edition 1, three more derivatives are planned for release – each a year apart – between 2021 and 2024 when the last and more affordable, but toned down $79,000 (approximately R1.3 million) Hummer EV2 version will be released. So, if you’re willing to wait another four to five years, you may just be able to buy yourself a relatively affordable Hummer EV2, provided you live in ’Merica.