General Motors (GM), the carmaker who gave the world the HUMMER, decided during the turn of the millennium that electric cars were out and giant trucks were in BIG. The company stopped production of its pioneering EVs – even pulled the done ones off the roads and destroyed them – and then went all-in with their superstar gas-guzzling military-style mammoth called the Hummer. And it was a hit, that is until the skyrocketing gas prices and recession killed it. So now, the company is rebranding the Hummer as a GMC electric pickup with just as much power as the original but no emissions.
The original HUMMER was far from efficient. It was designed to be the ultimate off-road vehicle, one that could tackle anything America’s armed forces challenged it with. Its massive V8 diesel engines could tackle the toughest terrains and drive up the steepest inclines when the driver stomped on that throttle. All this security and power has been translated into the civilian version of the classic HUMMER turned electric. GM has managed to beef up the power of the electric powertrain in the new HUMMER EV so much that it delivers the same rugged experience to civilians as the original HUMMER did to the armed forces.
The HUMMER EV’s official launch is set for May 20, 2020. Not much is known yet about the vehicle. All the company has released so far is a modernized HUMMER grill in a teaser video and a few facts. So, here’s what we know so far:
- The new electrified format bears 1,000 horsepower.
- It boasts an astonishing 11,500 lb-ft of torque, which should propel the car from 0–60 in three seconds.
- It will be the first electric vehicle from GMC.
- It is set to arrive in Fall 2021.
The advertisements created to show-off the HUMMER EV showcase the drastic difference between the loud, dominant modes of transportation from back then with the silent power electric vehicles now promised. Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC and Global Buick, said:
GMC builds premium and capable trucks and SUVs, and the GMC HUMMER EV takes this to new heights. We are excited to debut our revolutionary zero-emissions truck during the biggest night in TV advertising, [the Superbowl].
The new HUMMER EV will be built at GM’s home in Michigan, at its Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant. It’s the headquarters for the company’s electrification revolution! GM even believes the HUMMER EV could be the first electric truck to market… the race is on.
