by Baron Wilton
posted on September 22, 2022
GM’s quiet revolution launches with a loud statement piece
In the Miami heat of the 2020 Super Bowl, where quarterback Patrick Mahomes earned his first championship and Shakira and JLo took center stage, one of the most widely anticipated commercials officially confirmed the rebirth of the Hummer brand in electric form. General Motors recruited Lebron James to announce the launch of its “Quiet Revolution” with a 1,000-horsepower electric super-truck, blowing stats of the proposed Tesla Cybertruck out of the water. Although the pandemic and microchip industry shortage delayed its release, the battery-powered beast has finally arrived on the streets.
The new Hummers are so rare that one sold online for $260,000 at the start of the summer. And for good reason. The Hummer is a genuine American icon, and its electric renaissance is sure to spark the attention of any truck enthusiast. Michael’s GMC Hummer EV Edition 1 is the first one listed on Turo — let’s take a look.
The Hummer brand goes back to 1992, when the incredibly powerful and agile Humvee military truck was converted into a civilian 4×4 vehicle. While the original Humvee has continued its ongoing military service, the mass-produced Hummer truck maintained its utilitarian structure while offering all the necessary creature comforts of a passenger vehicle, like metallic paint, air conditioning, upgraded leather seats, and wood trimmings. The Hummer eventually became an ostentatious status symbol when GM converted it into a luxurious, premium truck (and the occasional stretch limo) offering a whopping 14 mpg at its best. Hence, it was a welcome surprise to hear that after a decade of silence, the Hummer would return with familiar machismo but with an all-electric platform.
General Motors understands that in order to launch a revolution, it needs a revolutionary leader. All GM brands are focusing on an electric future, and there’s no better figurehead to pave the way than a revived American military hero. The Hummer EV, which GM has put under the GMC brand, is the first to showcase their Ultium battery, which is a modular battery platform that can offer high performance, quick charging, and enhanced range that can power anything from a subcompact hatchback to a super-truck.
The new Hummer also introduces an automotive first with its ability to “crab walk.” The vehicle uses all four wheels to steer up to 10 degrees in either direction, enabling the car to drive diagonally around any obstacle. That might just be the flashiest way you’ll ever parallel park your car.
The Hummer EV comes in both pickup and SUV variants, offering 329 miles of range, fast charging of up to 100 miles in 10 minutes, and three electric motors. This enables a 3.3-second sprint to 60 mph, 11,500 lb-ft of torque, and up to 7,500 pounds of towing. The whisper-quiet monster truck also sports specially engineered 35-inch Goodyear tires and modular roof panels similar to that of the Jeep Gladiator, which offers partial or fully open air driving. If a 1,000-horsepower open air super-truck isn’t exciting enough, the Hummer also has some impressive dance moves. In its cinematic “Watts to Freedom” mode, the truck lowers two inches to accommodate maximum acceleration, and the truck can also lift six inches up for clearance. Michael’s Hummer also features an illumination package that presents a masterful dance of lights when the vehicle locks, unlocks, and charges.
GMC made every effort to ensure its Hummer would be a pinnacle of excess. Inside the cabin, you will enjoy 14 carefully placed Bose speakers, a WiFi hotspot and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The driver will also be impressed by GM’s Super Cruise that enables hands-free driving throughout America’s highways. If you actually feel like using the vehicle’s pedals, you can opt for one pedal driving. And once you reach your destination, the Hummer EV is equipped with 18 cameras (!) around the vehicle that make it remarkably easier to park or navigate around tight spaces.
The most impressive, or potentially frightening, dimension of the Hummer is its weight. The heavyweight champ clocks in at just over 9,000 lbs, making it the heaviest passenger vehicle on the road. Its enormous battery pack alone weighs more than a Mazda Miata or even an American bison. With all this weight, it’s important to acknowledge its 157-foot braking distance from 60 mph to zero, or an entire car length longer than similar pickups. Although its grandeur is an engineering marvel, the truck’s mixture of extraordinary power and unprecedented scope takes a great deal of responsibility to drive safely.
The Hummer EV takes the question “why not?” and throws practicality out the window. GM resurrected its monstrous icon to physically embody the American values of liberty, independence, and abundance. Did Hummer build a Frankenstein that’s out of control? Or is this flashy truck exactly what the brand needs to get us excited about the capabilities of future electric cars? You can decide for yourself with an ultra-exclusive test drive of Michael’s Hummer out in the greater Orlando area.
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Baron Wilton
Baron is a walking encyclopedia of car facts. His favorite sport is behind the wheel of his Jaguar F-Type, which he drives more in the canyons of SoCal than on the streets.
