NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — For years, Hummer was a brand name that signified the opposite of “green” driving. Then it went away, a victim of the General Motors bankruptcy in 2010.
Today it’s back. The Hummer name is now on a battery-powered electric pickup truck that will go from zero to 60 mph in about three seconds and is rolling into GMC dealers around the country. One of the first to arrive in New England was a white launch edition model that arrived on March 24 to Gallagher GMC in New Britain, with an MSRP of $114,000.
This particular truck will be delivered to its new owner on Saturday.
Mike Gallagher, president of Gallagher Buick GMC, was excited to finally see the truck in person. Gallagher GMC is one of a select group of dealers for the brand that has been selected to sell and service Hummers, which will be a sub-brand of GMC, rather than a standalone. The new vehicle shares only the name with the one from a decade ago. The dealership had to make an investment in training and tooling. For example, any forklifts must be EV compliant.
“I was very impressed when it came off the truck, and watching it maneuver into the building, with the Quadra Steer with the way that it makes no noise,” said Gallagher.
The launch edition will be joined by an SUV model and other pickup versions over the next few years that won’t carry such a steep price tag. The Edition 1 has distinctive gold trim. It features Easter eggs themed after the Apollo 11 moon landing. The launch edition sold out in October 2021 within a day, according to industry reports.
The initial version of the truck has three motors that produce 1,000 horsepower and has a range of 329 miles. It’s a new design from the ground up and is being built in a retooled and upgraded factory in Hamtramck, Michigan that previously built GM sedans.
The Hummer arrives on the market at the same time as the all-electric Rivian R1T, which Gallagher sees as its main competitor. The dimensions of the two vehicles are within fractions of an inch when compared.
- Rivian R1T - Length 217.1 in Height 78.2 in Wheelbase 135.8 in
- Hummer EV – Length 216.8" Height 79.1" Wheelbase 135.6"
Ford’s battery-powered F-150 Lightning is slightly larger and aimed at a different market. Ford will sell everything from a fleet version that starts around $40,000 to fully equipped versions that top out in the $95,000 neighborhood. A GMC Sierra with an internal combustion engine is longer as well. For now, until they sell more EVs Ford and Rivian will qualify for an EV tax credit, while the Hummer will not.
Gallagher said the typical customer is not so typical.
“The majority of these people, I can pretty much say that this is not a first vehicle. This is not a second vehicle, it might not even be a third vehicle,” he said. “It could be a fourth vehicle or a fifth vehicle. A car enthusiast, for sure.”
The truck has been designed with off-roading in mind. It features four-wheel steering with a crab walk that allows the Hummer to move diagonally. There’s an adaptive suspension that can raise the truck by six inches. It has a full complement of cameras, front, back, sides and underneath. It sits on specially made Goodyear 35 in tires.
Gallagher said the typical GMC buyer is a professional, likely to be a higher educated, business owner, “It's understated. It's professional. It's quality, performance, value, but not rubbing in your face.”
A look at the GMC Hummer EV
The interior can best be described as durable but rugged luxury. From the easy to clean floors to the two screens that control major functions and provide readouts, to the bed cover that rolls back with the touch of a button, to the removable roof panels, an owner won’t be roughing it.
Despite current challenges in the automotive industry, Gallagher is optimistic, “When you look at what the landscape is, right now, whether it's internal combustion engine, whenever it's electric, whether it's diesel, whether it's gas, whatever it is. What an amazing roundup of great products.”
Doug Stewart is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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