Hummer SUV: What electric off-roading looks like

GMC has revealed images and details on its first all-electric off-roader, the Hummer SUV.

Joining the likes of Rivian’s R1S and Tesla’s Cybertruck, GMC’s Hummer EV shows what the first iteration of electric off-roaders looks like.

Sitting on a shortened version of the Hummer pickup truck’s electric architecture, the battery is itself a load-bearing component and the body is said to be stiff enough for off-roading flex, even when the roof is open.

Powering the Hummer SUV is a three-electric motor drivetrain similar to the ute but producing a milder 610kW rather than 745kW but with the same 1592Nm – still plenty of beans for a fast 0-100km/h in 3.5sec. Unfortunately, the battery shrinks due to the smaller chassis so the range is limited to a maximum claimed 480km. On the plus side, the 800volt architecture for the electric system brings fast charging of just over 150km in 10minutes.

That shortened body also gives increase approach, breakover and departure angles, which are 49.6, 34.4 and 49 degrees respectively, good enough to clear 60 per cent gradients. The total shaved off the wagon compared to the ute is half a metre, and the wheelbase 220mm shorter.

Perhaps most innovative is the new Crabwalk function which uses four-wheel steering to allow diagonal steering angles when all four wheels are turned in the same direction at slow speeds. This will prove invaluable in some instances on tricky off-road tracks combined with torque vectoring at the wheels.

Underneath the arches are massive 22–inch wheels with huge Goodyear all-terrain hoops. Helping the body settled softly is air suspension that can further raise the ride height by 150mm when required (at slow speeds). While the 22-inch alloys won’t be good for off-roading 18-inch wheels with better mud tyres and added protection underneath are also available, along with locking diffs and off-roading cameras mounted around the body.

Other details remain similar inside with a 12.3-inch digital cluster and massive 13.4-inch screen used for the infotainment, along with Bose audio system and luxury-finished trim.