Let us put aside, for a moment, that the cancellation of the Geneva Motor Show in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak ruined nearly every major automaker's plans for debuting new vehicles this year, and take solace from the fact that GM appears to be sticking to its date of 20 May for a livestream reveal of the all-new Hummer. Yes, that is right: Hummer is back from the dead. But in much the same way that Maybach re-emerged as a sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz, Hummer will no longer be a standalone marque, and will instead become a division of GMC trucks and SUVs.
Where Hummer once embodied everything that was wrong with America's largest automaker — too brash, too thirsty, too irrelevant and flagrantly out-of-touch for a company seeking clarity after its 2009 bankruptcy — the new model sheds all that baggage for battery packs and electric motors. GM's product boss, Mark Reuss, has revealed that there will be multiple electric powertrain options, encompassing either one, two or three electric motors.
We reckon the single-motor version will place its lone electric motor on the rear axle; the two-motor version will add a front-mounted motor; and the three-motor version will add a second motor at the back, for an estimated power output of 1,000hp, torque of 1,100Nm and a range of upwards of 450km. From the outside we know it is a pick-up truck, but beyond that very little has been confirmed, so you will have to wait to see how much variety the Hummer will offer in terms of cabs and bed lengths.
A crew-cab model looks a sure bet, while the chances of extended-cab and regular-cab versions appear to carry slimmer odds. An SUV variant, on the other hand, simply must be in the works. Inside, we are told the dashboard will feature two large touchscreens — one for the instrument panel, the other for infotainment — following an overall design aesthetic the company describes as "lunar". We do not entirely have a clue what that means either.
If one thing is for certain, it is that using the anything-but-dull Hummer name to showcase electric technology is a shrewd strategic move by GM. The brand that once stood for excess may yet become the unlikely ambassador for the company's cleaner future.
