The GMC Hummer EV pickup due to arrive next year sounds like a beast, both in terms of size and power, but buyers will still have considerable choice. It has to be that way, what with the cash involved in retooling Detroit-Hamtramck and getting a fully electric truck off the ground.
It’s highly unlikely we’ll see a stripped-down Work Truck model with ironic hand-crank windows and a vinyl front bench, but there will be a selection of powertrains on tap. That’s according to General Motors President Mark Reuss.
Speaking at a Capital Markets Day investor event this week, Reuss offered some details of what to expect come 2021.
“When we go to market, we’ll have one-motor, two-motor, three-motor versions, offering different ranges, different performance at different price points to meet the customers’ needs whatever they may be,” Reuss said, as reported by Automotive News Europe.
GMC revealed the existence of the upcoming Hummer EV in advance of last weekend’s Super Bowl “Quiet Revolution” ad campaign. The automaker provided an image of the pickup’s broad and blunt front end, harkening back to the oversized Hummers of yesteryear. With 1,000 horsepower and 11,500 lb-ft of torque promised — the latter figure surely drawn from combined wheel torque figures — the reborn nameplate inspired awe and ire online.
The output dangled in front of hesitant truck buyers no doubt originates with the three-motor variant mentioned by Reuss. The company prez didn’t elaborate on the triple motor layout; it’s assumed two hub motors are at play in this version. Other Hummer EVs stand to gain four wheel drive with an electric motor placed atop each axle, or appear in cheaper 4×2 form with a single motor in the rear.
Battery size, or sizes, is not something GM’s shed light on.
The output — and more importantly, the price — of those lesser Hummers is unknown, though GM will have to position the model in a bracket that inspires volume. The GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali, as a point of comparison, starts at $65,295 when outfitted with a gas V8 and $75,045 when equipped with a diesel.
[Image: General Motors]
No HUMMER has ever left factory to arrive on a US dealer lot without 4×4.
1 motor would make no sense.
The real question is how the power will be applied to the wheels, if GM is smart they will use geared hubs to get the motors out of the way of clearance.
Spy shots of the EV Hummer at the testing facilities look good for what they reveal – but this is Barras GM we are talking about – they WILL find a way to screw this up.
Likely EV Hummer aside the HX HUMMER.
https://www.hummerguy.net/hummer-news/new-hummer-vehicle-spotted-at-gm-proving-grounds-next-to-hx-concept
Depending on the design, 1 motor doesn’t necessarily imply 2WD. They could use a conventional 4×4 system from a gas pickup.
That would be very interesting but seems impractical. Why accept drivetrain losses and the added expense and platform limitations over using an additional motor?
I agree I don’t see much reason for it, but I also agree with you that a 4×2 Hummer would be weird. I wondered if maybe the economy of scale from already having developed the 4×4 system would change the equation for GM.
Lordstown Motors EV truck called Endurance. “…the all- wheel-drive system, with four in-wheel hub motors.
https://insideevs.com/news/389264/lordstown-endurance-at-least-200-miles-epa/
oh jeez, why do people keep trying with silly “in wheel” motors? There are very good reasons to have the motor(s) mounted on a fixed structure and just use axle shafts. And very good reasons *not* to put motors in each hub.
Exactly, in hub motors do not make sense, that’s too much unsprung weight and it would be in the way. It makes much more sense to use portal hubs – that way the motors are moved up and out of the way.
“though GM will have to position the model in a bracket that inspires volume”
Yea, we’ll see how that goes. They kept the MSRP on the C8 reasonable, but GM has not been shy about using WTF?! pricing in recent years, especially on their fancier PHEVs.
I agree, it is impossible for GM to build an off-road credible EV at mass market pricing.
Somethings going to suffer, either this is going to be a ridiculous $70k dud, or it’s going to have the same off-road capability of a Pathfinder, which is to say none.
There’s no doubt at all this will be $70K or more. I wouldn’t be shocked to see it over $100K. The “1000 hp” rating will give them cover to charge something outrageous.
Hell the H2 was $50K to start almost 20 years ago.
$70k seems to me like an entirely reasonable price for a powerful 2- or 3-motor, offroad-equipped EV pickup. A comparable gas pickup (to the extent it’s even comparable) isn’t going out the door for less than $55k.
Yes, but “reasonable price” and “inspires volume” aren’t the same thing. I’m quite bearish on the market for this one. I’m thinking something like 500 or less each month.
In the end, even if it is well-engineered, I don’t think a high-dollar boutique thing like this moves the ball forward for BEVs. Something like the F-150 EV will be more interesting to watch.
The Big Three sell waaaaay more than 500 tricked-out $70k+ ICE pickups every month. With brag-worthy power and acceleration numbers and such in-your-face styling, I see no reason that this couldn’t grab a lot of sales even at high price points.
The hotshotters won’t find it interesting, but pretty much everyone now buying a Raptor, Limited, Denali, etc. for personal daily use could.
“I see no reason that this couldn’t grab a lot of sales even at high price points.”
So what is the sale number you are expecting?
If the price range is $70k-$100k, 2000 a month.
Adjust upward or downward depending on the final price range.
We’ll see what happens. 2000 a month would have made it the 2nd best selling BEV/PHEV in the country last year (just ahead of the Prius Prime’s 23K and way behind the Model 3’s 138K). If it breaks 24K sales over 12 months that would be a big success for GM.
ICE pickups are also some of the best-selling vehicles in the country, and sales of those are skewed to the midrange and high end more than the low end. I think electric pickups will do well with two audiences: high-end buyers who like gaudy power and acceleration numbers, and fleet buyers looking at TCO for vehicles that have extremely high utilization.
I wonder if Hummer is to be GM’s sacrificial lamb in the BEV truck market. If it bombs, retire the name again and pretend it never happened.
I think that is more plausible than some here realize. I hardly think there is a guaranteed market for a $100,000 1000 hp electric pickup that may or may not have any capability. Yes, a lot of Limited, High Country, and Platinum trucks are sold. I don’t think that automatically means people will jump to electric.
Fleets, yes I can see the advantages. I think this has a good chance of bombing for the same reason as the Cybertruck, the people who buy electric vehicles and the people who buy trucks don’t tend to have much in common.
Yeah, but the overlap between people who bought Hummers back in the day and people who might buy a luxury EV is fairly high.
That’s the brilliance of this. By going after the Hummer demo, they avoid alienating their truck buyers but get to try out the drivetrain in a way that gets those pickup buyers more comfortable with the idea of it. Cause while pickup buyers aren’t quite the same as Hummer buyers, they aren’t as antagonistic as with Prius and Tesla and other typical EV buyers.
I could easily see someone in 2025 going, “hey you hear the new Silverado has that motor from the Hummer.” And be pleased and approving of the fact.
GM’s ‘big game’ promises for the GMC HUMMER EV are a whopping 6-days old:
• “PURE DOMINANCE”
• “ZERO LIMITS”
One, two or three motors is old news, not “pure dominance.” I would like 4.5 motors (plus another one for the dump bed) each with infinite torque. Because, you know – “zero limits.”
And as long as we’re making promises we don’t intend to keep, there is “no limit” to the number of these I will buy or the price I will pay. :-)
(3 motors – where’s my tank turn?) [GMC response: dead silence]
P.S. I *do* need functional brakes…
If you have infinite torque, no need for friction brakes!
Hummer should have no less than 4 motors. anything less does not make sense. Of course of GM still cares about integrity of it’s brands.
I am sure German trucks will have 8 motors 4 being active and 4 in reserve to replace active ones that will certainly fail.
FYI my 2019 ram Laramie longhorn with air suspension, automatic running boards and etorque system stickered out at 77k.
Good business write-off. Plus I am shyt kicking it with the long horns.
There will be a huge market for electric pickups for Government fleets.
California in particular will jump all over them.
Fleets are about the application that makes sense for an EV PU.
Next weekend over 3 days we’ll put on 800+ towing miles when we head to the UP of MI from MN pulling an enclosed snowmobile trailer. No place to plug in when we get there. I figure about 30 times a year an electric PU truck wouldn’t get the job done for me. My requirements of my tow vehicle are not unique. With current battery tech & zero charging infrastructure in rural areas , EV’s PU’s are pretty much useless IMO.
An EV during the week to get me to and from work, my kids to their activities, ect., almost a no brainer once the initial purchase cost comes down. Buying used, currently a no brainer as a second or third vehicle if you live in a single family home.
“zero charging infrastructure in rural areas ”
I’m showing quite a few level 2 chargers in the UP and Northern Minnesota. In Northern Minnesota, there are a couple of superchargers and some CCS/Chademo chargers. You can also plug into campground 220v outlets for level 2. I’ve even used 120v outlets in Hotel parking lots. With the cold in that part of the country and towing, it might be a challenge – even with a 500 mile EPA range. Still, you can’t say their is no charging infrastructure in rural areas.
I’ve looked into public charging stations in the rural areas(western WI) I travel regularly and they are just too few and far in between. Don’t have time on a busy weekend to drive 30-60 miles out of my way for a charge.
My Volt will eventually get replaced with a BEV but for my tow vehicle that leaves town on weekends I’ll stick with an ICE vehicle for the time being.
Business opportunity:
– Find a Macy’s near you which is closing
– Lease the climate-controlled space (low noise, no emissions, you’ll fit right in with other mall tenants)
– Drop the second floor onto the first
– Recruit some imagineers and add concrete “rocks”/landscaping to create a full-scale indoor rock-crawling course (as technical as you like)
– Add EV chargers (inside the building)
– Obtain several EV pickups/SUV’s (offer sponsorships to local dealers)
– Come up with a catchy name and slogan (e.g., “…we bring Moab to you™”)
– Offer ride-a-longs, rentals, and bring-your own (EV only of course) [plus RC-scale mini-courses for the youngsters, and mountain bikes on the full-scale course during selected hours]
– Profit (year-round, weather-independent)
Phase 2: Expand into the adjacent concourse
– Larger rock-crawling course
– Food, drinks, merchandising