Nearly two years after GM’s announcement of the arrival of a new-generation Hummer, this time all-electric and under the GMC banner, the first units of the pickup have rolled off the assembly line and are ready to be delivered to buyers.
In total, two dozen units rolled off the assembly line yesterday, according to GM President Mark Reuss. In an interview with CNBC, he said 17 Hummers were ready to hit the road. Fitted with GM's Ultium battery and no gasoline engine whatsoever, the Hummer EV is the second all-electric pickup to hit the market after Rivian's proposed R1T model.
The first 1,200 Hummer EVs will be Edition 1s, all draped in the Interstellar White colour. Each of them is powered by three motors together producing what GM estimates at 1,000 hp and 11,500 lb-ft of torque. The product carries special features such as a height-adjustable adaptive suspension, guard rails and guardrails, 35-inch tires, the “Crab Walk” feature that allows for diagonal travel, the Watts to Freedom launch system (which allows for reaching 100 km/h in about three seconds, as well as the Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving system. Range is estimated at 529 km when the 200-kWh battery is fully charged).
Note that this variant is not available in Canada. Our market can expect the first Hummer EVs to arrive next year.
Specifically, GM is planning less expensive and slightly less powerful variants for Canada. In about a year, in the fall of 2022, the EV3X version will be offered; in its case the three motors will provide 800 hp and 9500 lb-ft of torque for an estimated range of over 500 km. It will be followed in the spring of 2023 by the EV2X, which will run on two motors producing a total power of 625 hp and 7400 lb-ft of torque and delivering a range of about 500 km. Finally, in the spring of 2024, the entry-level EV2 model will in turn be offered with a two-motor configuration that should offer about 400 km.
The Factory Zero plant will produce more than just Hummers. GM has invested $2.2 billion to make the facility its electric vehicle manufacturing base. Battery-powered versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra will be assembled there, as will the Cruise Origin driverless robotaxi.