It has been a long journey for GMC and the revived Hummer EV. We were originally supposed to see it back in summer, but the rapid onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the company to retract those plans and postpone it. But with the colors of fall fully in bloom, GMC is at last ready to pull the covers off of the Hummer EV pickup. This bruiser comes packed to the gills with technology and innovation, but here are the key essentials that make this truck a true make it or break it gamble for GMC and GM as a whole.
Hummer EV innovation engineered to ensure domination
GMC pulled no punches when it said in its release video that the Hummer EV was “innovation engineered to ensure domination,” and it all starts with the exterior styling which demands and craves attention. GMC designers made note of the basic design themes that defined older Hummer models, but unlike those fuel guzzling beasts of yesteryear, this Hummer goes in a much sleeker direction. The front “grille” is made up of numerous LED lights, with the trademark Hummer slats housing each letter of the “Hummer” moniker. The rest of the front fascia was designed to work with the increased levels of ground clearance, and not only does a beefy front skid plate peek out from underneath, but GMC engineers even added a nifty set of tow hooks to help give this beast a strong utilitarian character.
Another trait that it shares with its ancestors is the upright windshield, and while that does contradict the aerodynamic side of things slightly, GMC promises that there is still plenty of wind cheating tricks in play to help make this bruiser as sleek through the air as a knife through butter. The side profile is very chunky, and it leads out to the rear of the truck. Here, the resemblance to the H2 and H3 SUT is no accident, with the reborn Hummer adopting roughly the same bed shape as those two. The taillights here work seamlessly with the design, and they compliment the bed very nicely. The bed even features an electronically operated tonneau cover which not only provides enhanced levels of security for cargo, but also helps improve aerodynamics. The widely flared front and rear fenders allow the truck to come equipped with 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory mud terrain tires, which arguably help create the most visually appealing aspect of its side profile when paired with its massive wheels.
Our favorite highlight though is the “Infinity Roof” which is a very tasteful evolution of traditional removable roof panels. The panels themselves are transparent, and each section covers a slice of the cabin. The big front panel is located above the front seats, while the remaining two cover a slice of the rear seats. Unlike roof panels that you see on the Jeep Wrangler, GMC reps claim that all three panels can fit in the large frunk, but it will be interesting to see not only how heavy these panels are, but also whether they can indeed be stored in this space. However, remove them all, and the cabin provides a first row seat to the great outdoors, especially when you lower the rear glass to enhance this effect even more
Hummer interior lifts pages from Tesla playbook, but goes its own distinct way
While the exterior styling of the Hummer EV pickup embraces a brutish combination of paying tribute to the past and embracing the future, the interior is all about technology and there’s sure alot to talk about here. With all the recent criticism that some GM products get for their interior quality, it’s reassuring to see that the Hummer takes that notion and mercilessly runs it down under its massive Goodyears. High quality materials are scattered throughout the truck, and it’s clear that nothing was left unturned to help transform the Hummer into a truly unique offering in the lineup. The interior in the truck GMC featured adopts a two-tone white on black scheme, but look for more colors (including monotone colors) to also be available.
However, the real talking point centers around the technology, and it’s hard to deny just how good the 13.4 inch touchscreen infotainment system is at drawing stares. As mentioned in a prior teaser, the system is equipped with the Unreal Engine, with that potent software being better known for its appearance in game consoles. An additional 12.3 inch digital instrument cluster further drives home the point, and it allows buyers to configure the Hummer to not only customize the truck to their tastes, but to also access the various digital readouts crammed into it. The Hummer EV also aims to give you plenty of ways to see what it sees, with the truck offering 18 different camera views to choose from. The bulk of these views are made possible with the front and rear mounted Ultravision mounted camera system that aims to not only be a handy tool when navigating through rough challenging terrain in the middle of nowhere, but also in the urban jungle where parking can sometimes be as hard as spotting a siberian tiger out in the wild.
The other key highlight here is lifted from Cadillac, with the Hummer being the first non-Cadillac branded GM product to be equipped with Super Cruise. Super Cruise is just now making its way to other Cadillac offerings (once being a mutual exclusive to the axed CT6 flagship sedan) and its appearance in the Hummer pickup suggests that GM is ready to bring the system to other brands in its web of products. For those that need a recap, Super Cruise not only allows the Hummer pickup to drive by itself on mapped sections of pavement, but it also now has the ability to do fully automated lane changes. These features (the latter in particular) are literal game changers in the pickup segment, and this EV is the first pickup ever to bring those capabilities to customers.
The Hummer EV shatters the performance barrier with 1,000 horsepower
The Hummer EV certainly brings it all to the table when you look at its technology game, but the biggest fireworks are saved for the performance hardware that lurks in this electrified beast. The model featured is what GMC calls the “Edition 1” and this model just happens to feature GM’s all new three-motor e4WD propulsion system which is designed to rewrite the book on electrified performance. In this instance, it does so by offering 1,000 horsepower and a massive 11,500 lb-ft of torque. GM claims that this particular setup can get up to 350 miles of driving range, but mileage is not the primary goal here. It’s secret talent is uncovered when drivers choose the “Watts To Freedom” mode from the drive selector. This mode unlocks the full potential of all three electric motors, which helps the Hummer EV shoot its way to 60 mph in 3 seconds. All of this electrical power is channeled from GM’s Ultium battery pack technology, and the Hummer pickup (along with the Cadillac Lyriq) will be one of the first models to be powered by this battery system.
But the Hummer is not all about going fast in a straight line, it’s also about being able to flex its muscle in terrains where many other trucks would shudder in their fenders. It manages to do this by offering a host of innovative technology that aims to solve this challenge in a number of unique ways. An advanced four wheel steering system is equipped to the truck, and this system plays a role in the all new Crab Mode feature. First teased in a prior video clip, Crab Mode allows the truck to move in a diagonal direction (much like a crab.) GMC claims that this mode will deliver enhanced levels of agility, and proceeded to demonstrate this by showing the truck use the mode to make its way through a narrow rocky crevasse.
Meanwhile, the adaptive air suspension also has a trick of its own, and comes equipped with an all new Extract Mode, which raises the suspension six extra inches to help the Hummer clear certain obstacles. Oh and remember the 35-inch tires? GMC says that if buyers want to go bigger, there are optional 37-inch tires available for those that crave more size and grip. That’s all really cool, and we look forward to seeing how some of these features work when out in the real world.
When Can I Buy One?
Buyers looking to purchase a Hummer EV for themselves can reserve one now through GMC here at this link, but they will have to wait awhile for the actual truck to appear, with the first units making there appearance in Fall of 2021. When they do, the first models will be Edition 1 variants. These trucks will wield a $112,595 MSRP, but they will come fully loaded and have every single option standard. But don’t despair, there are cheaper variants coming with Fall 2022 seeing the debut of the $99,995 EV3X variant. which is still a very loaded truck.
But it’s not till Spring of 2023 when the model range really begins to take shape with the arrival of the EV2X model. This variant will be the first in the lineup to have two motors instead of three, but it will still bring a host of goodies to buyers. Last but not least is the EV2 base model which will make its appearance in the Spring of 2024. This one will shed alot of the frills, and instead prefer you pay attention to its $79,995 base sticker. Oh and that also means buyers will have to wait roughly 3 1/2 years for the whole family to fully emerge, and that will be a very noticeable slice of time especially since Ford, Rivian, and Tesla all aim to fully rollout their electric truck offerings within that timeframe.
However if you use that time to shore up your bank account for one of these trucks (especially in the lower trim levels) it could certainly be worth the wait, and you would have the chance to experience what GM has in mind for an all electric future. In the meantime, we look forward to learning more, especially about some of its other abilities.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.