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GMC Hummer EV coming to Extreme E with Chip Ganassi Racing

The electric off-road racing series Extreme E is getting another famous face. This time it's not a person, but rather a vehicle: the GMC Hummer EV. GMC announced that it will be the main sponsor for the Chip Ganassi Racing Extreme E team. With the sponsorship, GMC gets to tweak the Extreme E Odyssey 21 race SUV to look more like the Hummer EV pickup and SUV that starts production late this year. The changes are subtle but effective, with the nose getting a full-width light-bar motif. Of course the race SUV is vastly more rounded than the road-going truck. It also features a standardized chassis from Spark Racing and a battery pack from Williams. The team is able to provide its own electric motor, though, which the series limits to 550 horsepower. The GMC Hummer EV race SUV will make its competition debut alongside several other pedigree teams at the first Extreme E event in Saudi Arabia this April. Three teams are operated by Formula One drivers including Sir Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button, the latter of whom will be driving. Andretti United will also field a team, a familiar competitor to Chip Ganassi in other racing series such as IndyCar. As for drivers, two World Rally Championship champions will compete: Carlos Sainz and nine-time consecutive champion Sebastien Loeb. The series will feature five races and with the way the competition is shaping up, they should be very interesting to watch. Related video:

GMC's Hummer EV will offer several powertrain options

General Motors confirmed plans to resurrect the Hummer nameplate on a GMC-badged electric pickup, and it's beginning to release details about the drivetrain that will power the model. Speaking to investors, company president Mark Reuss announced buyers will have at least three drivetrains to choose from at launch. The few specifications that have already been announced are impressive. GMC quoted a three-second sprint from zero to 60 mph, at least 1,000 horsepower, and 11,500 pound-feet of torque, though that latter figure undoubtedly corresponds to wheel torque rather than the powertrain's basic output. Most truck buyers don't need Lamborghini-rivaling acceleration, and they'd rather not pay for it, so GMC will also offer more basic versions of its Hummer. "When we go to market, we'll have one-, two-, and three-motor versions offering different ranges, different performance, and different price points to meet customers wherever they may be. If the customer wants a basic package, we'll have that. If the customer wants true off-road capability, and towing capability, we'll have that, too," Reuss said. He stopped short of revealing additional specifications about each configuration. While that sounds expensive to develop and certify, Reuss explained General Motors is keeping costs in check by making the Hummer's powertrain as modular as possible. He compared the platform to an ice cube tray. Its overall dimensions are fixed, but people can choose how many rows they fill with water. What he's likely alluding to is a scalable battery pack whose capacity can be increased or decreased by adding or removing cell packs. As for the motors, we're expecting the entry-level, rear-wheel drive Hummer will come standard with a single motor mounted over the rear axle. The mid-range variant will likely gain a second motor positioned over the front axle to deliver through-the-road all-wheel drive, and the range-topping trim will receive individual rear motors (though they won't be integrated into the wheels) for jaw-dropping performance, and improved off-road capacity.  Economies of scale will come into play, too. While the Hummer is the only electric off-roader whose launch has been confirmed by General Motors, Reuss stated the company's other brands will benefit from it, too. "We'll have a complete lineup of EVs, including the [Hummer EV] and its stablemates," he said.

Low gas prices bring the Hummer back to life

It took more than the high cost of gas to kill off the Hummer brand, but the military/civilian vehicle's near-endless need for fuel didn't help sales when gas prices started to climb. Turns out, there is still a thirst for the gas-devouring vehicle in the US. The evidence is anecdotal at best, but since we know prices at the pump can change car shopping behavior in America, the idea that more people want a Hummer now than they have these past few years doesn't surprise us at all. Gas prices in the US are currently sitting at $2.926 a gallon, on average, much lower than the $3.186 per gallon they were a year ago and below $3 a gallon for the first time since 2010. According to the Washington Post, this is causing a slight uptick in used Hummer H1 sales. With a fuel consumption rate of around 12 miles per gallon, every penny drop in gas prices has a big impact on the H1's running costs. Read more on the newfound Hummer lust at the WaPo, including how online interest in H1s was up 11 percent at Autotrader last month. Late last month, TrueCar issued a report on the recent increase in new vehicle sales of large SUVs and pick-up trucks, thanks to falling fuel costs. TrueCar president John Krafcik said in a statement that, "Hybrid popularity is waning, and the country's love of the full-size pickup truck is remarkable.'' Looks like that love extends to the used lot as well. Anyone know someone who has re-joined the Hummer brigade? News Source: Washington PostImage Credit: Carolyn Kaster / AP Green Hummer Gas Prices hummer h1