The GMC Hummer EV Pickup is the sort of machine you look at and don’t know whether to laugh or cry. It’s a big, brash, electric off-roader that’s exuberantly over-engineered, with performance figures as monstrous as its styling.
In its highest spec, such as this Edition 1 model, it features a tri-motor powertrain that offers 1000bhp, along with enough torque (11,500lb ft) to tear a hole in the space-time continuum. Which is just as well, because thanks to its beefy body and double-stacked 212kWh battery pack, it weighs 4111kg. Which, for just comparison, is about eight-and-a-half Citroën Ami.
It’s incredible to behold, truly pushing the capabilities of EV technology. But still, in an age when the car industry is focusing on efficiency and reduction, it’s fair to ask: is the Hummer EV is really necessary? Or even sensible?
Maybe not, but then again consider the likely target audience for this machine. People won’t be choosing between a Hummer EV and a Citroën Ami, or even a Volkswagen ID 3. It’s designed to win over buyers who want a big machine with true off-road capability. The sort of person who might buy a Mercedes-AMG G63 or a 6.2-litre V8-powered GMC Sierra pick-up, or even placed a deposit for a Tesla Cybertruck with serious intent.
Besides, the over-engineering in the Hummer has allowed parent firm General Motors to really push development of the new Ultium EV platform it’s built on, allowing it to quickly roll out far more practical vehicles. Much of the Hummer’s underpinnings, for example, have been used for the new Brightdrop Zevo 600 electric delivery van. The Cadillac Lyriq prevmium SUV is also based on the architecture.