Hummer officially returns as an EV with 1,000 hp in Super Bowl ad

Hummer, the iconic, controversial and long-dead truck and SUV maker, returned this Sunday in a Super Bowl ad that previewed its comeback under the GMC brand. General Motors announced the move and teased the vehicle with a series of clips (below) Thursday morning, confirming reports of Hummer's resurrection that have simmered for months.

The bane of environmentalists in the early 2000s, Hummer is recast as an electric-only truck capable of a jaw-dropping 1,000 horsepower, 11,500 lb-ft of torque (we believe this figure to be wheel torque) and a sprint to 60 mph in 3 seconds. “We came to play ball,” a spokesman deadpanned in an interview with Autoblog. Electric range was not revealed. The teaser shots show a grille that recalls old Hummer vehicles, though the look is updated with flashy lights.

GM will build the reborn Hummer at the Detroit-Hamtramck factory in Michigan that was once thought to be set to close. It will be revealed May 20 at an event, possibly in Las Vegas. The truck will be available in fall 2021.

“GMC builds premium and capable trucks and SUVs and the GMC HUMMER EV takes this to new heights,” Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global Buick and GMC, said in a statement. “We are excited to debut our revolutionary zero-emissions truck during the biggest night in TV advertising.”

The Super Bowl ad aired just before halftime in the United States and featured Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. 

In a statement, he said: “Teaming up with GMC to introduce the Hummer EV is a natural fit. Everyone knows about my love for Hummer since high school and I’m proud to be a part of announcing the new EV model. The truck may be quiet, but the performance numbers speak for themselves.”

Hummer will take aim at a slew of electric truck and SUV makers, including Rivian, which announced Wednesday plans to help build Lincoln’s first electric vehicle in its partnership with Ford Motor Co. Hummer will also face off against the Tesla Cybertruck, Bollinger’s EVs and other competitors. 
 
GM shuttered Hummer in 2010 after trying to sell the brand to Chinese investors as it shed units during its historic bankruptcy and restructuring. 

With today's announcement, GM issued a truckload of videos on the new Hummer:

 

 

By Greg Migliore