GM’s Hummer EV Relaunch: Genius or Cringe?
[Jan. 31, 2020]
What’s been rumored for months has finally been confirmed by General Motors: Hummer is coming back – but this time as an electric truck. Since Hummer’s dealer network folded as part of the company’s 2009 bankruptcy, there are no more Hummer dealers per se, so the new vehicle is re-launching as a sub-model of GMC. This move will either go down as one of the most genius image re-castings in history, or a colossally tone-deaf marketing move.
Although Hummer was envisioned as GM’s “Jeep,” the company’s overall financial problems (resulting in the aforementioned bankruptcy) as well as a growing criticism from the environmental movement against gas-guzzling SUVs ultimately spelled the end of the brand in 2009. As part of its restructuring, GM tried to sell the rights to the brand, and reportedly received some interest from a Chinese commercial vehicle company. Ultimately, however, that deal fell through.
This week, GM released a teaser image of the grille of the revived EV Hummer, along with teaser clips for its upcoming Super Bowl commercial that hint at the vehicle’s specs. The big-picture theme of the ads is that immense power and capability does not mean the stereotypical sturm und drang of heavy machinery, and clattering, whistling diesel engines.
The specifications are somewhat eyebrow-raising at first glance. 1,000 horsepower, 0-60 in 3 seconds, and a claimed 11,500 lb-ft of torque. In light of the Tesla Cybertruck and the Rivian R1T, the horsepower and acceleration figures are within the realm of believability. However, that torque figure may involve a little “voodoo” math.
If my hunch proves correct, GM is playing the same basic numbers game that Audi did in 2009 with its e-tron concept car, in which the company claimed the combined output of the electric motors was a staggering 4,500 Newton-meters, or for us Yankees, 3,319 lb-ft. When pressed, Audi admitted the eye-popping initial torque claim was based on the torque multiplication factor of its four-motor drivetrain.
For context, most current Tesla models employ a roughly 9:1 gear reduction of their electric motors. Assuming a similar ratio, the GMC Hummer (or whatever it will be called) is probably making in the neighborhood of 1,300 lb-ft of torque. Still impressive, and still more than the most powerful HD diesel truck today, the Ford Super Duty, which just crests the four-digit mark at 1,050 lb-ft. But not 11,500.
It should be noted that nowhere in the initial Hummer EV release did it claim these outputs were according to the industry standard and accepted SAE J1349 testing protocol – a standard that, ironically, GM was a voluntary early-adopter, and pushed the rest of the industry to follow suit.
Regardless, the new, electrified Hummer promises to be a formidable competitor, and just in the nick of time against the Tesla Cybertruck, the Rivian R1T, and the forthcoming electric Ford F-150. With that level of power and capability comes with it a substantial battery pack, which if we had to guess, will come in at between 160-240 kWh capacity. Which brings forth an interesting point: Batteries are currently the largest single source of weight in EVs, and a battery of that size and capacity promises to weigh upwards of 2,000 lbs or more. Combine the battery weight with a typical truck weight of 6,000 or so pounds, and you’re talking about potentially an 8,000+ lb truck. At which point, the vehicle is nearing the HD truck standard by EPA classifications.
The majority of half-ton truck buyers use them as daily drivers and family cars, rarely using them for towing or substantial payloads anywhere near their rated capacity. HD trucks, on the other hand, are often bought as “tools of the trade” and are frequently used by fleets and individuals purposefully for “truck stuff” like towing and hauling.
As we discussed in our earlier The Uphill Battle for EV Trucks post, substantial towing or payloads have a significant impact on overall range. Many HD truck buyers drive more than 1,000 miles a day, and the last thing they have the time or the patience for is waiting two hours to charge up. As admittedly enthusiastic as I am about EVs in general, HD trucks is one market niche that is not quite ready for full battery electrification quite yet, and will not be until battery capacities are significantly higher, and charge times are appreciably faster.
That said, this isn’t solely a Hummer EV problem. Rather, the scenario of being classified as an HD truck with half-ton capabilities will likely be a hill to climb for the top versions of the Tesla Cybertruck, the new electric Ford F-150, and other electrified trucks.
If the OEMs are smart, they will market these trucks initially as “lifestyle” vehicles capable of rapid acceleration and great practicality for lighter-duty tasks. Never mind the fact that these trucks may end up crushing the scales in the neighborhood of four tons.
Based on reports, and a press conference that GM president Mark Reuss held with reporters, the Hummer EV will be one of several models built off the company’s upcoming modular “skateboard” EV platform, including commercial vehicles, the Cruise Origin autonomous robotaxi, and possibly an EV variant of the Cadillac Escalade (the E-Scalade? Thanks, I’ll be here all week!).
But the question remains as to whether Hummer will be remembered as the gluttonous environmental menace its predecessor had the misfortune of being branded, or as a genius combination of awe-inspiring power and capability in a new, more eco-conscious package? That question will be answered, at least partially, when the reborn Hummer is unveiled in its entirety this May.
(Image courtesy General Motors)
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