RE: 11,500lb ft Hummer EV lands

RE: 11,500lb ft Hummer EV lands

Wednesday 21st October 2020

11,500lb ft Hummer EV lands

GMC turns back the clock with electric 'super truck' able to get from Basra to Baghdad on a single charge



After the now customary delays, the GMC Hummer EV has been revealed in all its 1,000hp and 11,500lb ft of torque glory (although that latter number remains misleading, as we’ll get to). The electric SUV is adequately sized for a successor to the H3, promises three-second 0-60mph performance and more than 350 miles of range between charges. It can go properly off-road, has loads of space inside and features no shortage of tech, including a ‘hands off’ driver assistance mode for highways.

That’s quite a leap forward in capabilities for Hummer’s latest civilian vehicle. Its electric powertrain comes in two available configurations, with the first available version – a $112,595 Edition 1 due one year from now – using three motors to achieve those peak range and performance stats. It’s limited run and already sold out. Lesser variants will follow, though, with an 800hp version due in autumn 2022 and then two more variants, right down to a $79,995 entry point that’s due in spring 2024 using two motors.


The base model stats aren’t exactly underpowered, either; it’ll produce 625hp and 7,400lb ft of torque, with an estimated 250-mile range. We should add that those torque figures aren’t directly comparable with conventional combustion numbers because Hummer – like Tesla did with its Roadster – has quoted at the wheel figures, which means the number has been multiplied by the final drive ratio. Cheeky. But there’s still a lot of twist; the top model’s motor torque is still said to deliver 1,100lb ft, and that’s instantly available.

Elsewhere, it gets 302mm ground clearance, an approach angle of 44.3 degrees and a departure angle of 33.7 degrees. There’s 330mm worth of suspension travel front and rear, and forget what you’ve learned about keeping electrical items clear of water – the Hummer EV can ford up to 711mm. And by the way, most of those numbers go up by a few per cent if you option in the more rugged Extract mode, which only requires a software update.


There’s a lot of tech to assist on tough terrain, too, including underbody cameras and digitally illustrated pitch and roll data. GMC has also developed a ‘Crabwalk’ mode, which rotates each wheel independently to enable the Hummer EV to drive diagonally, something the manufacturer claims is useful on tricky terrain, but may also just be a right old laugh. Back on roads, a Super Cruise system is said to enable hands free driving on certain highways. There’s an illustration on Hummer's site to back up the claims that this is proper hands-off stuff; albeit with the obvious requirement for drivers to remain very much ready to retake control at any moment.

There’s clearly also been as much focus on entertainment here as tech; there’s a jump shot in the computer-generated video footage, and the glass panels of the roof can be removed, so it all still feels authentically gunship. The launch video was only a Bruce Springsteen soundtrack away from going full America. But instead of a thumping V8 there was a silent EV in the foreground. The times they are a-changin'.







Author
Discussion

NDNDNDND

Original Poster:

2,018 posts

183 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
With a 200 kWh battery, this thing will have a CO2 footprint of more than 30 tonnes before it's even been driven.

This is not an environmentally friendly vehicle.

louiebaby

10,651 posts

191 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
NDNDNDND said:
With a 200 kWh battery, this thing will have a CO2 footprint of more than 30 tonnes before it's even been driven.

This is not an environmentally friendly vehicle.
Interesting, it's time the world woke up to comparing whole life CO2 footprint if they're going to compare like with like. (Although it's pretty difficult to calculate, I admit.)

30 tonnes is a lot. Diesel produces 2.6 kgs per litre burned, petrol is more like 2.4 kgs. So based on your number of 30 tonnes, you're talking about 11,500 - 12,500 litres of fuel.

GroundEffect

13,835 posts

156 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
louiebaby said:
NDNDNDND said:
With a 200 kWh battery, this thing will have a CO2 footprint of more than 30 tonnes before it's even been driven.

This is not an environmentally friendly vehicle.
Interesting, it's time the world woke up to comparing whole life CO2 footprint if they're going to compare like with like. (Although it's pretty difficult to calculate, I admit.)

30 tonnes is a lot. Diesel produces 2.6 kgs per litre burned, petrol is more like 2.4 kgs. So based on your number of 30 tonnes, you're talking about 11,500 - 12,500 litres of fuel.
What about the energy that goes in to making a regular powertrain, particularly one that a Hummer-sized vehicle would have? Lots of Steel & Aluminium...

And if I remember correctly, the Hummer H2 did around 10mpg...

As you say, let's compare like for like.

Nerdherder

1,773 posts

97 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
AUTONOMOUS CRAB MODE PARKING

That's what I want to see this do. Not interested otherwise.

rodericb

6,735 posts

126 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
I think there might be some deposits on some Tesla Cybertrucks being refunded.

An interesting fact about putting down deposits on future vehicles. Tesla do this and Tesla Fans masturbate furiously over the numbers of deposits. The Ford Bronco has something like 250,000 deposits for the "big" bronco.

louiebaby

10,651 posts

191 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
GroundEffect said:
What about the energy that goes in to making a regular powertrain, particularly one that a Hummer-sized vehicle would have? Lots of Steel & Aluminium...

And if I remember correctly, the Hummer H2 did around 10mpg...

As you say, let's compare like for like.
It would be great to see some kind of measure of the environmental impact of a new vehicle, but it's probably not going to happen. To have it standardised across the motor industry would be even more tricky.

I'd love to know how many miles I can drive a 5 year old Cayenne Turbo that costs £35k, before I've even caught up with the environmental impact of making a £35k Kia e-Niro, for example. (Clearly I'd also have to consider the running costs too, which would differ somewhat.)

take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey

5,136 posts

55 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
C2G emissions are interesting. I recall seeing a paper a number of years back attempting to qauntify it for road vehicles.

It concluded that a V8 jeep was way greener C2G than a prius. The key reasons were amortising co2 'costs' of factory and production line across the model's life-time, and the fact that most jeeps are still being driven. In contrast phevs and bevs have a much shorter life-span and the cell and battery production are very co2 intensive.

But then you get into component sharing and localised vs centralised co2 emissions.

Anyone got any links to a good model that takes account of all the factors?

louiebaby

10,651 posts

191 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
rodericb said:
I think there might be some deposits on some Tesla Cybertrucks being refunded.
My CyberTruck's deposit is staying put for now, but this is mighty interesting. I wonder if we'll get a Rivian update in the next couple of days, they're been quiet recently...

NDNDNDND

Original Poster:

2,018 posts

183 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
GroundEffect said:
What about the energy that goes in to making a regular powertrain, particularly one that a Hummer-sized vehicle would have? Lots of Steel & Aluminium...

And if I remember correctly, the Hummer H2 did around 10mpg...

As you say, let's compare like for like.
It's very difficult to compare. From what I've found (a youtube video!) a typical car produces about 3-5 tonnes of CO2 in production. In an electric car this would be in addition to the amount produced in manufacturing the battery. Google suggests a 100kWh Tesla battery produces about 17.5 tonnes of CO2, plus the 3-5 tonnes of CO2 to manufacture the car itself - I assume this figure might be relatively high due to the use of aluminium.

You're right about comparing like-with-like, I can't be bothered to run the figures on how much CO2 is produced at 10 mpg, but you'd probably still have to drive that 20-30,0000 miles to offset the CO2 in manufacturing the 200 kWh battery in this new hummer. Compared with a more efficient vehicle, the distance would be even greater and the payback period several more years.

The other interesting thing with EVs is multiple vehicle ownership becomes extremely damaging. The CO2 benefits of EVs come from reducing the lifetime CO2 emissions of the vehicle. With an ICE, the embodied CO2 is lower and the less you drive it the less CO2 is produced. With an EV, the less you drive it (relative to an ICE car) the less you're offsetting the embodied CO2. If say you purchase this hummer and a Model S, you've generated about 50 tonnes of CO2 before you've even driven anywhere - it may take 8 or 10 years before you've offset the CO2 generated...

A Winner Is You

24,974 posts

227 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
louiebaby said:
GroundEffect said:
What about the energy that goes in to making a regular powertrain, particularly one that a Hummer-sized vehicle would have? Lots of Steel & Aluminium...

And if I remember correctly, the Hummer H2 did around 10mpg...

As you say, let's compare like for like.
It would be great to see some kind of measure of the environmental impact of a new vehicle, but it's probably not going to happen. To have it standardised across the motor industry would be even more tricky.

I'd love to know how many miles I can drive a 5 year old Cayenne Turbo that costs £35k, before I've even caught up with the environmental impact of making a £35k Kia e-Niro, for example. (Clearly I'd also have to consider the running costs too, which would differ somewhat.)
It will probably happen once EVs become too popular and governments start losing income on fuel duty

Augustus Windsock

3,366 posts

155 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
Didn’t Seasick Steve justify to Jezza on Top Gear the reason for driving his old yank-tank gas guzzler by saying it was 40-odd years old and had earned its keep, instead of using loads of raw materials and energy to create a new car that did the same thing (albeit hopefully more economically)?

RumbleOfThunder

3,554 posts

203 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
I think this will be a huge success, providing buying public are comfortable with something EV not from Tesla. Unlike the Cybertruck we know this thing will make production.

V8 FOU

2,973 posts

147 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
This is ridiculous. Expensive. Massive.
I want one!
If only for the "crab walk"!

louiebaby

10,651 posts

191 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
NDNDNDND said:
It's very difficult to compare. From what I've found (a youtube video!) a typical car produces about 3-5 tonnes of CO2 in production. In an electric car this would be in addition to the amount produced in manufacturing the battery. Google suggests a 100kWh Tesla battery produces about 17.5 tonnes of CO2, plus the 3-5 tonnes of CO2 to manufacture the car itself - I assume this figure might be relatively high due to the use of aluminium.
It becomes a lot more complicated when you consider that it's ENERGY USAGE that is the issue with new car manufacture. Whether it be aluminium refining or battery manufacture.

If the new cars were to be manufactured using renewable or nuclear power, then the impact to the environment is significantly reduced. It's not removed, because mining is very damaging to the environment, for example.

If a CyberTruck was made using nuclear power for the metal refining, battery manufacture and car build, with care taken to produce the components in a environmentally friendly way, then powered using renewable electricity for it's life, then the lifetime impact is a lot less.

It's a big "IF" above, but that is probably the conversation we should be having.

J4CKO

41,520 posts

200 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
Awesome, Hummer produce an over 5 tonne off roader with a 1000 bhp that does sixty in 3 seconds and people start going on about it not being an eco vehicle.

We need to separate EV from Eco as concepts, ok , they dont blow smoke out and the electricity can be produced cleanly but there seems to be this assumption that anyone who buys one is claiming to be some kind of pious eco champion and that isnt the case.

This is not for those wanting to minimise their consumption, it weights almost twice what an original H1 did, and they were enough to trouble your trolley jack .
Five and a bit tonnes, sort of four normal cars weight.

sisu

2,580 posts

173 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
More is more. I love how american and British 4x4s (landi, grenadier) are going down a road of super sizing everything.
Why do the Americans always want to remove doors, roofs and panels off road. You get sunburnt, dust, mud, mosquitos and rain come in. So everything needs to be in sealed bags.

What struck me with the new Bronco is that this is a 4 person 2 door off roader with the interior space of a Mini?
Chest height on a normal man. I am sure they will sell them to people who like to pretend they are doing things. But oh dear see one in person before you order it.



louiebaby

10,651 posts

191 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
J4CKO said:
Awesome, Hummer produce an over 5 tonne off roader with a 1000 bhp that does sixty in 3 seconds and people start going on about it not being an eco vehicle.

We need to separate EV from Eco as concepts, ok , they dont blow smoke out and the electricity can be produced cleanly but there seems to be this assumption that anyone who buys one is claiming to be some kind of pious eco champion and that isnt the case.

This is not for those wanting to minimise their consumption, it weights almost twice what an original H1 did, and they were enough to trouble your trolley jack. Five and a bit tonnes, sort of four normal cars weight.
Is that really what this thing weighs? yikes

It's cool though. So is that yellow Bronco!

scottygib553

528 posts

95 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
I’m assuming that the off road ability is aided by the fact that most things, mountains included will simply crumble under the weight of the front axel and no longer need to be driven over

GroundEffect

13,835 posts

156 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
louiebaby said:
GroundEffect said:
What about the energy that goes in to making a regular powertrain, particularly one that a Hummer-sized vehicle would have? Lots of Steel & Aluminium...

And if I remember correctly, the Hummer H2 did around 10mpg...

As you say, let's compare like for like.
It would be great to see some kind of measure of the environmental impact of a new vehicle, but it's probably not going to happen. To have it standardised across the motor industry would be even more tricky.

I'd love to know how many miles I can drive a 5 year old Cayenne Turbo that costs £35k, before I've even caught up with the environmental impact of making a £35k Kia e-Niro, for example. (Clearly I'd also have to consider the running costs too, which would differ somewhat.)
Lots of studies have been done on this. You have "Well to Wheel" emissions that show how much you use to make the various vehicles + the cost (environmentally) to run them and you have the whole lifecycle costs of disposing of the packs afterwards.

Haven't got time to scrutinise the merits of them all, but here's a few:

https://theicct.org/sites/default/files/publicatio...

https://www.transportenvironment.org/sites/te/file...

https://thedriven.io/2020/04/27/life-cycle-emissio... (this one uses data from the 2nd link)

As you can see, and caution I haven't seen if they are fair comparisons, that Electric vehicles are significantly better compared to Diesel/Petrol ICE vehicles. On a both-new basis.

For a comparison between keeping your ICE or buying a new BEV, the best way to do it is presume the initial production CO2 is sunk and calculate the CO2 load of running your Cayenne to death vs a BEV from new. Based on what this data shows, it could be close.


NDNDNDND

Original Poster:

2,018 posts

183 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
quotequote all
louiebaby said:
NDNDNDND said:
It's very difficult to compare. From what I've found (a youtube video!) a typical car produces about 3-5 tonnes of CO2 in production. In an electric car this would be in addition to the amount produced in manufacturing the battery. Google suggests a 100kWh Tesla battery produces about 17.5 tonnes of CO2, plus the 3-5 tonnes of CO2 to manufacture the car itself - I assume this figure might be relatively high due to the use of aluminium.
It becomes a lot more complicated when you consider that it's ENERGY USAGE that is the issue with new car manufacture. Whether it be aluminium refining or battery manufacture.

If the new cars were to be manufactured using renewable or nuclear power, then the impact to the environment is significantly reduced. It's not removed, because mining is very damaging to the environment, for example.

If a CyberTruck was made using nuclear power for the metal refining, battery manufacture and car build, with care taken to produce the components in a environmentally friendly way, then powered using renewable electricity for it's life, then the lifetime impact is a lot less.

It's a big "IF" above, but that is probably the conversation we should be having.
That's an entirely fair comment - it would be interesting if actual statistic were available on this, but it's a bit embarrassing so manufacturer's don't seem that willing to share, or else deliberately obfuscate the information. Pointing out the EV's produce huge amounts of CO2 in manufacture isn't very 'on message'.

Theoretically it should be possible to produce these things using renewable energy, which should considerably reduce their carbon footprint, but that doesn't yet seem to be the case.

I personally hope that synthetic fuels gain traction - much lower embodied CO2 and less raw material in the vehicles, and the production and distribution of the fuel can also be theoretically carbon neutral.