We always knew that when General Motors chose to renew the Hummer brand as an electric truck, we’d get something gigantic, as the name suggests.
The GMC Hummer EV weighs an eye-watering 9,063 pounds, according to test data provided by GM to the Environmental Protection Agency and initially seen by Car & Driver. The GMC Hummer EV weighs an eye-watering 9,063 pounds. That’s a few pounds more than the 9,046 lbs originally published by fansite GM Trucks last summer.
But it wasn’t the number that took my breath away. The one that burned my corneas the most was 2,923 lbs, which is the total weight of the Hummer EV’s battery. That’s heavier than a Honda Civic, thicker than a Subaru BRZ, and flabbier than a Ford Fiesta. That’s a half-snack and a snack.
I’m not going to pretend that the Hummer EV’s massive dimensions have taken my breath away. After all, this is a Hummer. But were you anticipating a light Euro-style innovative vehicle with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s nameplate?
However, it sounds to be an issue that gets buried in the broader buzz around the EV boom. President Joe Biden has pinned his electoral hopes on the massive transformation in the car sector from filthy gas engines to greener electric motors.
While mostly disregarding the outside dimensions these new EVs occupy.
GM isn’t the only one that has done this. For example, while the impending Ford F-150 Lightning is nearly the same size as its fossil fuel-powered counterpart, it weighs 6,500 pounds more and even more than 35% more than the gas engine version. That is primarily to the 1,800-pound battery being immobile on the truck’s floor.
For years, we’ve known that the surge in SUV and truck sales has resulted in higher CO2 emissions and a concerning increase in pedestrian deaths. In addition, anecdotal data suggests that driving huge cars can result in unhealthy levels of road rage.
While SUV drivers are slightly safer, the number of pedestrians killed by those drivers has skyrocketed: an estimation of 31,720 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes from January to September 2021, according to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), which is the “highest number of deaths during the first 9 months of all the years since a decade.
Hummer Ev Battary Performance
But, at the very least, the Hummer EV’s massive battery should provide plenty of range. Range apprehension will be a thing of the past! Consider it again. According to GM’s test results, the Hummer EV will cover 329 miles on a single charge with 212.7 kWh of useable energy in the battery. It will also use power at a rate of 47 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent), which is the EPA’s unit of measurement for comparing an EV’s energy usage to that of a gas-powered car.
According to Car & Driver, this is 33 percent less efficient than the Rivian R1T electric truck’s rating of 70 MPGe. (A GMC spokeswoman told the magazine that the Hummer EV’s MPGe rating would not be shown in the sticker window since cars with a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,500 lbs or over are not permitted to do so.)
Despite its bulk and inefficiency, the Hummer EV is sure to garner acclaim from auto writers and government politicians eager to trumpet a sea shift in the US car sector. However, these data serve as a timely reminder that, while GM professes to be turning a new leaf, a Hummer is still a Hummer, bloat and all.
