The Hummer EV changes the entire SUV formula.

The Hummer brand has always been about extremes. From its military Humvee DNA, to the consumer-friendly Hummer H1, H2 and H3, the Hummer has always pushed the envelope, promising a bigger-than-life experience.

The extreme theme continues today with the debut of the GMC Hummer EV – an electric Hummer with specs that are anything but ordinary. “Zero limits and zero emissions.” That’s how Mike MacPhee, Brand Director for GMC, GM Canada summed up the all-new Hummer EV in an interview with Autosphere magazine.

One glance at the capabilities of the Hummer EV, and it’s clear that MacPhee isn’t exaggerating. Take, for example, the 1,000 hp electric powerplant that pumps out a mind-boggling 11,500 lb-ft of torque (that’s not a typo!). Then there’s the 0-60 mph (0-97 km/hr) time of 3 seconds. “Simply put, I’d say this is unparalleled capability,” MacPhee says. “It’s unlike anything else in the automotive industry now.”

GM estimates the Hummer EV will get over 560 km on a full charge, and that owners will be able to add 160 km of range in as little as 10 minutes, when hooked up to an 800V DC fast charger.

Resurrecting the brand

The Hummer brand disappeared from the automotive landscape during the 2007 Great Recession. Fortunately, despite efforts to do so at the time, GM never sold off the brand, making it possible for them to bring it back now. “We actually never sold the Hummer brand,” MacPhee explains, “although it did have interest from buyers. Now, Hummer is going to be a variant, or what we call a sub-brand under GMC, as opposed to being its own unique brand.”

GM believes the next-generation Hummer will appeal to a very unique segment of the consumer market. “From out perspective, the Hummer buyer has a self-made or entrepreneurial mindset,” MacPhee says. “They’ve worked very hard for what they have. So I’d say they’re generally very bold and are willing to spend the money for quality and an unmatched premium experience.”

Competition

It’s difficult to see which vehicles, currently on the market, could compete head-to-head with the Hummer EV. It really is in a class of its own. Part EV, part SUV and packed with technologies and capabilities never seen on anything else on the market, the Hummer EV is a true niche vehicle designed by out-of-the-box thinkers who managed to engineer a vehicle unlike all others.

For instance, it boasts “CrabWalk” capabilities, wherein all four wheels can turn in the same direction (rear wheels can turn up to 10 degrees in either direction) in order to drive diagonally (at slow speeds only). GM says this will help the Hummer EV “traverse tight trails,” but it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine owners crab-walking their Hummers in the grocery parking lot, just because it looks so cool to do so.

Then there’s the “Extract Mode,” developed to raise the Hummer EV by 6 inches (over 15 cm) whenever extra height and clearance is needed. At the push of a button, Extract Mode allows the driver to raise this unique SUV in order to get out of tough spots when fording deeper water, for instance, or climbing over larger rocks or other obstacles.

Anyone who has ever gone off-road with an SUV and wished they could get a better view of what was going on underneath the vehicle (in real-time) in order to figure out how best to navigate all obstacles will appreciate the unique UltraVision system. With the aid of up to 18 camera views, thanks to waterproof underbody cameras with both forward and rear-facing views, off-roading will be easier and safer than ever.

With 13 inches (over 33 cm) of suspension travel, full underbody steel plates protecting the differential and battery pack, strategically-placed rock sliders, 4-wheel steering for increased maneuverability and numerous other capabilities, the Hummer EV seems like it will be able to go anywhere it wants to… and then get the driver and passengers back again safely.

Pricing & availability

GM is rolling out the Hummer EV in stages, with American consumers getting first dibs, followed by Canada and the Middle East. The company wouldn’t say what their rollout plans are for the future, or which other countries or continents will be able to order this EV.

American buyers already had a chance to place their orders. “In the U.S. the launch price was $112,500, and we sold out in 10 minutes,” MacPhee reports. Canadian pricing will be revealed in March 2021, with first Canadian deliveries planned for the fall of 2022.