With 1000 hp and an XXL battery for a range of 520 kilometers
The new electric Hummer can do that
The legendary Hummer off-road vehicle from General Motors was one of the biggest gas guzzlers of all time. With the new generation, everything will be different thanks to the electric drive – but this Hummer, too, is breaking all standards.
This car was absolutely amazing! The first generation of the Hummer rolled straight into the garages of SUV freaks in 1992 after the United States’ second Gulf War against Iraq (“Desert Storm”). HMMWV was the name of the XXL military off-roader – for the fans of its martial appearance it was nicknamed the Humvee. The US carmaker AM General initially sold the civilian version itself. It was not until 1999 that General Motors (GM) took over the name and sales of the monster, which theoretically consumed 16 to 20, but practically 30 liters per 100 kilometers – until climate protection and a bully image died in 2010 finished off.
But now he’s back. And even with this new Hummer you don’t have to apply normal standards at all. An electrical giant; 5.50 meters long and 4.3 tons when empty, the GM’s boring US commercial vehicle brand GMC should finally make it cool again.
He drives like a crab walks
The new Hummer starts as a pick-up, next to the Ford F-150Chevrolet Silverado or Dodge Ram look like toys (click here for the story: Now the fat electric pick-ups start). Enormous 1000 hp (740 kW) and a maximum torque of 1620 Newton meters are delivered by three electric motors on both axles – and make the Hummer a dancer: Thanks to its four individually controlled wheels, it can twitch in one direction like a crab – simply crazy and a real show in the field.
The battery in the underbody alone weighs 910 kilograms. The two-tier battery pack also sets standards, because 208 kilowatt hours (kWh) has never been seen before in a mass-produced electric vehicle. It not only supplies the electric motors with the necessary energy, but also brings stability to the body structure and is sufficient for around 520 kilometers. At the charging station, the Hummer can double the normal 400-volt on-board network to 800 volts for refueling, thus significantly reducing the charging time. With a charging capacity of 350 kilowatts (kW), the huge battery can be supplied with enough power for 160 kilometers in ten minutes. In addition to the 1000 hp top model, there will also be weaker versions with one motor per axle.
GMC Hummer EV Edition 1
drive Three electric motors (one in front, two in the back), 1000 hp (740 kW), 1600 Nm@1/min, 1-speed gearbox, all-wheel drive, battery 208 kWh (net)
mileage 0 to 100 km/h in approx. 3.5 s, top speed 160 km/h (limited)
Masse L/B/H 5,51/2,38/2,01 m, ca. 4300 kg
environment WLTP consumption factory n/a, range approx. 520 km
Preis k.A.
drive Three electric motors (one in front, two in the back), 1000 hp (740 kW), 1600 Nm@1/min, 1-speed gearbox, all-wheel drive, battery 208 kWh (net)
mileage 0 to 100 km/h in approx. 3.5 s, top speed 160 km/h (limited)
Masse L/B/H 5,51/2,38/2,01 m, ca. 4300 kg
environment WLTP consumption factory n/a, range approx. 520 km
Preis k.A.
More sensitive than with petrol
First test drive at the GM test site in Mildford near Detroit in the US state of Michigan: heat and dust are the smallest problem here, the steep climbs are a bigger one. But the lobster pulls inexorably through the impassable. When the front is pointing steeply towards the sky, a camera and a large screen make the underbody transparent, so to speak: you can already see the next obstacle before you can see it yourself. Despite its weight, the colossus remains incredibly manoeuvrable. Its all-wheel steering cuts the turning circle from 13.5 to 11.3 meters. The steering is smooth despite the mighty off-road tires and the battery can also withstand the wading depth of 81 centimetres.
Brute propulsion? The electric motors can be controlled much more sensitively than any combustion engine, which is a real plus point, especially off-road. There are several driving modes and the Hummer also masters the one-pedal mode – if you take your foot off the accelerator pedal, recuperation takes place immediately. This allows you to drive sensitively even off-road without the mechanical brake. But of course the E-Hummer can also sprint to 100 km/h – in a crazy 3.5 seconds!
Lots of space and plastic
Only inside is it sparse – given a US price of around 110,000 US dollars. After all, there is plenty of space in front and behind, but the seats are wide and featureless and the plastic desert on the dashboard is a matter of taste. High quality looks different, but to be honest: Those who know the original Hummer would not have expected anything else. And yet the special model called Edition 1 was immediately sold out at the start of the new Hummer.
Now it’s time for US customers to wait: the Hummer EV 3X is positioned under the top model for around 106,000 US dollars. The two basic versions, each with only one motor on the front and rear axles, will probably not be available until the end of 2023 or early 2024 – at prices starting at 86,000 US dollars. And a start in Europe? Is still in the stars.