GMC Hummer EVs Come Into Focus

A vehicle guaranteed to cause the least possible amount of harm to the planet and its finite resources, hands down, offered up something of a sneak peak on Wednesday.

Make that “vehicles,” plural. The GMC Hummer EV, a beast of an electric pickup due to roll out of General Motors’ repurposed Detroit-Hamtramck plant late next year, will have a sibling: An SUV, as it’s a body style worthy of the reborn Hummer name’s heritage and also the thing Americans WANT.

And check out that spa-sized frunk.

A video released by GMC shows a prototype pickup in development, with its naked body, sans Ultium battery pack and platform (and doors, roof panels), wide open to GM engineers. No separate bed on this vehicle — the GMC Hummer’s abbreviated rear box is nicely integrated into the body, with the model’s C-pillars flowing at a more extreme angle than the A-pillars.

Seen in profile (see below), some viewers might guess that the back half of the Hummer pickup is actually its front half.

Speaking of that front, a close-up reveals attributes we’ve already seen via teaser images (dainty-looking tow hooks, front skid plate), and a septic tank-sized front “trunk” that could hold a couple small kids, if owners wish to avoid ferry or nation park fees.

While the model’s torque output (11,500 lb-ft) carries a very large asterisk, other features of the multi-motor, long-range Hummer spark interest, too. The pickup will offer “Adrenalin Mode,” which sounds like an acceleration booster, a la Tesla’s Ludicrous Mode, and “Crab Mode,” which seems to suggest the ability to perform fancy footwork on par with Rivian’s upcoming pickup.

GMC said the model’s debut will take place this fall, a year ahead of the model’s production kickoff. Originally, GMC aimed to debut the model on May 20th, but the tumult caused by the pandemic put that plan on ice.

Also shown in profile was the pickup’s SUV stable mate, which looks pretty conventional. It’s also reminiscent of the long-gone Hummer H2, pride of the Miami PD and a gaudy status symbol that guzzled fuel at an alarming rate. Perfect on both counts, as consumers seem to like their SUVs on the larger side of things — regardless of propulsion source.

[Images: General Motors]