Hummer EV: More details on Tesla Cybertruck rival surface
We still don't have images of the new Hummer, but GM's dishing details and we like what we're hearing.
General Motors ' move to revive the Hummer name as an electric vehicle sub-brand of GMC was kind of a shocker -- pun intended -- and despite spending all kinds of dough on a Super Bowl ad for the forthcoming electric truck, we still know very little about it.
Thankfully, GM has peppered its EV Day info dump with some sweet Hummer facts -- more than a few of which are actually kind of surprising. Let's break them down.
First, we now know that GM will release both truck and SUV versions of the electric Hummer. This would appear to be the General's way of putting a big, fat target on Ford and Rivian's back. Like the Rivian, the Hummer truck will feature a crew cab and a relatively short bed -- 5 feet for the Hummer and just under 5 feet for the R1T.
Both Hummer models will feature removable targa tops -- a la Jeep Wrangler -- and the panels will store neatly in the Hummers' front trunk (or frunk, if you're cool). This move also seemingly has Ford's Bronco in mind, which -- while not explicitly confirmed for the reboot due out this year -- has been a signature feature in generations past.
Moving forward from the targa roof -- literally -- we now know that the Hummers will have not one windshield wiper (like Mercedes' mighty monowiper), not two (like basically every other car ever), but three wipers -- kind of like Toyota's FJ Cruiser . We suspect it's for similar reasons as the FJ as well -- small front glass -- but we'll have to wait and see to be sure.
Apart from that, we know that the styling of the new Hummers is very reminiscent of the H2 and H3 of the early aughts, which is to say that they're very boxy and utilitarian-looking with similarly butch interiors. We're guessing that the quality of the materials used will be much-improved over GM's Bush II-era SUVs , though, and that's a good thing.
The dash will use two large screens for instruments and infotainment, as is the current fashion, while the aesthetic motif for the interior as a whole is described as "Lunar," which sounds cool but apart from sharing a fuel type with the moon buggy, we're not sure what the connection is.
From an electrical architecture standpoint, the new Hummers will utilize GM's just-announced third-generation EV architecture and the new Ultima large-pouch cell batteries that were developed in cooperation with LG Chem. The new cells offer a lot of flexibility in the way that packs are designed for specific vehicle types -- GM is planning on at least 19 different pack configurations.
This flexibility should allow the General to maximize pack density for the Hummers and deliver on its estimated 400-mile range in top trim.
Now comes the long wait until May to see the Hummer in its full, unclad electric Tonka-truck-like glory, but given all the info we just received and the happy-but-dazed look our man Craig Cole has after seeing it at a press briefing, there's plenty to be excited about.
Originally published March 4.