After a long wait, GMC has finally made a comeback with the Hummer. This time, they have adopted the electric route, and have introduced the 2022 Hummer EV Edition 1 — a first-of-its-kind super-truck developed to forge new paths with zero emissions. The Hummer EV will be the first fully electric addition to GMC’s lineup, driven by next-generation EV propulsion technology that enables unprecedented off-road capability, extraordinary on-road performance, designed to put occupants at the centre of every moment.
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“This innovative truck comes to market with speed and purpose, bringing GM another step closer to an all-electric future,” said Mark Reuss, president of General Motors. “With our Ultium Drive architecture as the foundation for an exceptionally broad range of performance, Hummer EV is perfect for the customer who wants capability, efficiency, and performance.”
Powertrain
The Hummer EV will get its energy from General Motors’ all-new Ultium batteries and power from Ultium Drive, which is GM’s proprietary EV drive units. General Motors claims that the Hummer EV will achieve a best-in-class 1,000bhp of power and 11,500 lb-ft of torque, which will be generated by three separate motors within two Ultium drive units to give Hummer EV’s e4WD, remarkable on- and off-road capabilities. Additional purposeful and intuitive technologies will complement the truck’s range and capabilities to enhance and elevate every excursion.
“We had one goal for Hummer EV: Build the most capable factory truck – ever,” said Al Oppenheiser, GMC Hummer EV chief engineer. “It’s an absolute off-road beast with a unique e4WD drive system that provides manoeuvrability, unlike anything GM has ever offered before.” The GMC Hummer EV is designed to be the ultimate off-road EV super-truck, with all-new features developed to challenge tough obstacles and terrain.
Features
According to GMC, some key features of the Hummer EV include a segment-exclusive 4 Wheel Steer featuring Crab-Walk, that allows the rear wheels and front wheels to steer at the same angle at low speeds, enabling diagonal movement of the vehicle, for even greater manoeuvrability on challenging terrain. The Hummer EV also gets Adaptive Air Suspension with available segment-leading, Extract Mode capability, that enables the suspension height to be raised approximately 6 inches (149 mm) to help the Hummer EV negotiate extreme off-road situations such as clearing boulders or fording water.
Other features in the upcoming super-truck are a 35-inch-OD Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires offered standard, along with a capability to accommodate 37-inch tires. They offer exceptional strength and flexibility to optimize manoeuvrability with the Hummer EV’s unprecedented off-road capability, including scaling 18-inch verticals and driving through water that is more than 2 feet deep, Underbody armour, consisting of sturdy steel plates that are strategically located around the battery pack and more to help provide protection in extreme off-roading conditions.
Ultravision
The super-truck also gets an UltraVision feature, that includes new front and rear underbody cameras with live “virtual spotter” views to help drivers navigate obstacles and place wheels on and off the trail. The underbody cameras are packaged to help protect against damage and equipped with a wash function to help clear debris. GMC also claims that the Hummer EV offers a best-in-class number of camera views, with up to 18 available from the vehicle to help increase awareness of surroundings.
Off-road prowess
In terms of off-road equipment, GMC has revealed that the Hummer EV will get several widgets that display vehicle functions and terrain status through the infotainment and driver information screens. Examples include torque output, differential locker engagement, tire pressure, pitch and roll angles (including maximum values), a drift gauge (with maximum values), friction circle, torque vectoring, and more.
The Hummer Electric Edition-1 will be launched in 2021. While other lower and more affordable variants will arrive in a three year period (2022,2023,2024). The Edition-1 comes with several segment-leading features, namely-
- Three-motor e4WD drive system that will offer the equivalent of GM-estimated 1,000bhp of power and GM-estimated 11,500 lb-ft of torque.
- 800-volt DC public fast-charging compatibility of up to 350 kilowatts. Industry-first technology mechanically switches the batteries from parallel to series mode during charging, which makes Hummer EV compatible with the fastest 350 kW DC fast chargers, enabling nearly 100 miles of range in 10 minutes of charging.
- 24-module, double-stacked Ultium battery propulsion system that will offer a GM-estimated 350+ miles of driving range on a full charge, based on preliminary testing.
- The latest version of Super Cruise, an available driver assistance feature offering hands-free driving on more than 200,000 miles (approximately 322,000 km) of enabled roads, and a new automatic lane changing feature, where the system can determine when a lane change is optimal and initiate the manoeuvre while following signalling protocols.
- Watts to Freedom — a driver-selectable immersive experience that unleashes the full acceleration capability of the EV propulsion system, including GM-estimated 0-60-mph performance in approximately 3 seconds.
- Drive Mode Control offers driver-selectable modes that tailor performance — including torque splits between the front and rear wheels, and four-wheel steering settings — for different driving conditions. It includes Terrain Mode, which raises the Hummer EV’s ride height by nearly 2 inches.
- Adaptive Ride Control continuous damping that is tailored for both on- and off-road driving.
- Open-air driving enabled by the structural rigidity of the Ultium batteries, with standard Infinity Roof and removable transparent Sky Panels that can stow in the “frunk” storage compartment at the front of the vehicle.
- Large, 13.4-inch diagonal infotainment10 screen and 12.3-inch diagonal driver information center display convey a wealth of vehicle performance and driver awareness information.
- MultiPro Tailgate with six functional positions.
- Power rear drop glass window and power tonneau cover.
“The GMC Hummer EV reimagines an instantly-recognizable silhouette for a modern, all-electric future,” said Phil Zak, design executive director. “Its design visually communicates extreme capability, which is reinforced with rugged architectural details offered with a premium, well-executed, and appointed interior.”
The Hummer EV will be the first full-electric vehicle in GMC’s portfolio and is powered by General Motors’ new Ultium battery system. Production will begin in late 2021, at GM’s Factory at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center — a nearly 40-year-old facility repurposed and retooled with a $2.2-billion investment devoted to electric vehicle production. Future production vehicles out of the factory will offer zero emissions. However, General Motors has just unveiled a prototype of the 2021 Hummer EV Edition-1. The carmaker has not announced the variant-wise price structure or any details about the launch of Hummer EV in India.