The Hummer was a symbol of the gas-guzzling vehicles that characterized the United States and an icon of just how big American vehicles could get. But it proved short-lived. The Hummer was introduced in 1992, and in 2009 it was placed on the chopping block, falling victim to the Great Recession of 2009.
But now, General Motors is resurrecting its iconic nameplate that has been idle all these years. But like the Phoenix, it is being reborn in a form that is near unrecognizable. It is now a fully electric pickup truck, and from that point of view, the antithesis of what the Hummer was. Here is how the Hummer EV measures up to the Hummer H2.
10 Going Green
Starting with the most notable change is the Hummer EV is to be a fully electric pickup truck. Long gone is the Hummer H2's gas-guzzling Vortec 6200 6.2 L92 V8 engine (the last engine used from 2008-2009).
The Hummer EV has a fully electric motor that completely replaces the old internal combustion engine. The Hummer is being transformed from the bad boy of climate change to a poster child of how EVs can be just as good as their gasoline and diesel relatives.
9 Transformed Acceleration
The new Hummer EV just smashes the Hummer H2 regarding acceleration. Comparing them in this department is kinda ridiculous really. The Hummer EV will be among the fastest mass-produced vehicles on the planet with a dizzying acceleration of 0-60 mph in just 3.0 seconds flat.
The Hummer H2 by contrast would take some 10.9 seconds in the earlier model, 10.4 in the 2004 model, and 9.1 in the last model before it was canceled.
8 Power Comparison
The Hummer H2 2008 was powered by a powerful Vortec 6200 6.2 L92 V8 engine capable of putting out some 393 horsepower.
The Hummer EV's electric motor again smashes this. The Hummer EV's motor can put out an astonishing 1,000 horsepower!
7 Towing And Payload
Once again there is quite simply no comparison when it comes to towing capacity and payload. The Hummer H2 (despite being such a massive brute) didn't perform particularly well in this department.
The Hummer H2 had a towing capacity of only 6,700lbs and a payload of only 2,200lbs. We still don't know these specs for the Hummer EV, but its towing capacity is expected to be 7,500-11,000lbs and payload 1,500-3,500 lbs.
6 Crabwalk - Diagonal Movement
While this is a little unfair to compare features like these as technology has changed over the last 10 or more years, but still, the Hummer EV comes with a whole new function called the "CrabWalk".
Like a crab walks sideways, the CrabWalk enables the Hummer EV to move diagonally. This is accomplished by having steering on all four wheels, with all four wheels turning together.
5 Designed For Off-roading
The Hummer EV is designed specifically for off-roading. Accordingly, it has many features to assist in that. Not only does it have the odd and quirky Crabwalk but also Extract Mode.
Extract Mode lifts the Hummer an extra 6 inches off the ground enabling it to clear all sorts of uneven terrain. It even has an impressive wading depth of 32 inches with the vehicle raised.
4 Fuel Economy
The Hummer H2 had a poor fuel economy of only around 10 mpg. You would need to just about tow a gas tank behind you. The Hummer EV will have a very impressive EPA range of 350 miles on a single charge.
The Hummer EV can also supercharge meaning that recharging will not be as inconvenient as one may think. To boot, the price of electricity is much cheaper than the cost of gasoline.
3 Less Moving Parts
As with all fully electric vehicles, the Hummer EV has substantially fewer moving parts. It is typically the parts that move that tend to wear and tear and break down.
This should mean that the Hummer EV will be more reliable than its Hummer H2 predecessor and shouldn't need as much maintenance and repairs.
2 Automation And Super Cruise
The new Hummer EV comes with state-of-the-art Super Cruise. Super Cruise is GM's driver-assist or automation software where the Hummer EV can change lanes automatically.
It can also steer on its own accord, meaning you can drive hands-free. Additionally, the more computers assist in driving, the safer driving typically gets as human error is mitigated.
1 Realtime Updates
Like Tesla's vehicles that are all contented to the internet all the time, the Hummer EV will be able to constantly update. That means the Hummer EV's Super Cruise and other computer systems will be constantly updating as GM improves the software — just like your cellphone.
Tesla has said that its cars are able to be actually self-driving and that it will update them once the regulatory environment is acceptable. The Hummer EV is probably similar too, although there has not actually been any word from GM about this yet.
In summary, the Hummer EV is a worthy successor to its Hummer H2 cousin. It is able to retain and improve on many of the things that made the Hummer famous while repenting for its environmental sins of the past.