Video: Will The New Hummer EV Be Just Another Big Bummer?

So all of the leaked info on the forthcoming Hummer EV pickup pretty much hit the piston on the head. But after digging deeper into the details, a series of concerns emerge, giving further reason to wonder if the Hummer EV will someday be shelved as just another failed experiment.

As sources hinted, a Super Bowl ad entitled “Quiet Revolution,” teased GMC’s first all-electric truck, along with images of stampeding horses, industrial equipment, motorcycles, and basketball star Lebron James. The Hummer EV is set to play a key role in the brand’s move toward electrification, a vehicle that GMC claims is “…bringing bold design and remarkable capability to the electrified vehicle space.”

Will the GMC Hummer EV really be able to produce power numbers in this range? Only time will tell.

Going off the info provided in GMC’s press release, the Hummer EV looks promising on paper too. The EV truck will supposedly have 1,000 horsepower on tap, as well as 11,500 lb-ft of torque, all of which sends the pickup to 60 mph in just 3 seconds. GMC refers to these horsepower, torque and acceleration figures as “remarkable,” and has promised that the vehicle will provide “incredible on- and off-road capability.” Slated to be revealed on May 20, 2020, and built entirely in Michigan at the General Motors’ Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant, the Hummer EV is set to go on sale in the Fall of 2021.

Issues are simple, starting with those power numbers. First off, GM’s 11,500 pounds of “estimated torque” is likely a reference to wheel torque, and not what is going straight to the pavement. Don’t be too surprised if real-world power numbers end up being a lot lower, with battery range and curb weight being a concern as well.

Next up is the problem with the price. GMC is the Cadillac for truck buyers, so while the Hummer EV has been placed in an appropriate company, a well-equipped version of this truck will likely hit six figures. Finally, there is an issue with the image. For as gnarly as the new Hummer EV may look, there’s something about the roar of a V8 and the pop of a free-flowing exhaust that makes truck enthusiasts quiver in pleasure. Meanwhile, an all-electric truck has… battery whine. I rest my case.

About the author

Micah Wright

Raised on LEGOs by grandfathers who insisted on fixing everything themselves, Micah has been a petrolhead in training since age four. His favorite past times include craft beer, strong cigars, fast cars, and culinary creativity in all of its forms.
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