2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV revealed, Australian potential unclear

Readers familiar with the aforementioned GMC Hummer EV truck revealed in October 2020 will find few surprises in the design of its SUV sibling, differentiating solely through an extended roofline covering a conventional cargo area.

The SUV retains the pick-up's H-shaped tail-lights and boxy proportions, but adds a side-opening rear tailgate featuring a full-size spare wheel with the same 18- or 22-inch alloy design and 35-inch Goodyear all-terrain tyre as the quartet filling the vehicle's arches.

GMC hasn't confirmed how much boot space hides behind the rear tailgate, however the lack of a third row of seats – as the SUV is a five-seater, like the related pick-up – should make for an expansive cargo area for adventure equipment and off-road gear.

The Hummer EV SUV's styling is otherwise carried over from its tray-backed twin, comprising an upright front-end with LED lighting and 'HUMMER' script, a bold lower front skid plate, and flared box-style wheel arches.

The similarities continue inside the cabin, where the SUV shares its sibling's 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 13.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, chunky switchgear, and three-spoke steering wheel with an upper LED strip used to facilitate General Motors' Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving system, which offers hands-free support for over 320,000km of North American freeways.

The pick-up's glass Infinity Roof with removable panels is also available, as is a power-operated dropping rear window and a row of auxiliary buttons configurable to a number of off-road functions.

Powering the GMC Hummer EV SUV is a trio of electric drivetrain options, all underpinned by GM's Ultium battery architecture and shared with the SUV's four-door forebear – however, the pick-up's flagship 746kW, 563km-plus offering isn't available with the longer-roof body style.

All models bar the entry-level EV2 (or, officially, just '2') are fitted as standard with 22-inch wheels, four-wheel steering, CrabWalk (which rotates the front and rear wheels in the same direction for off-road manoeuvrability) and Extract Mode (which ups the ride height by 152mm to clear obstacles).

A US$5000 (AU$6500) Extreme Off-Road Package can be had on the same variants, adding 18-inch wheels with 35-inch Goodyear Territory MT tyres, underbody armour, rock sliders, an electronically-locking front differential, 'virtual' locking rear differential, heavy-duty ball-spline half shafts, UltraVision (comprising 17 camera views around and under the vehicle), and more.

The first model to launch will be the US$105,595 (AU$138,500) Edition 1 in early 2023, pairing three electric motors to a high-capacity 20-module lithium-ion battery to develop 619kW and 15,592Nm – though it's worth noting the latter is all but confirmed to be a wheel torque figure, with torque at the motor likely around 1350Nm.

The 0-60mph (97km/h) sprint can be completed in 3.5 seconds, while maximum range sits at "over" 483km (300 miles) in 'standard' guise, or over 451km with the off-road pack equipped. An 800-volt electrical architecture is standard-fit, with DC fast charging on offer at up to 300kW.

Exclusive Edition 1 features include Moonshot Green matte exterior paint and a Lunar Shadow interior colour scheme.

A US$99,995 (AU$131,000) EV3X variant powered by the same powertrain as the 'base' Edition 1 will go on sale in the US in the northern spring of 2023.

The EV3X will launch alongside the US$89,995 (AU$118,000) EV2X, featuring two electric motors and a 20-module battery pack to develop 466kW/10,033Nm, cover over 483km on a single charge, and recharge at up to 300kW using its 800-volt electrical system.

A US$79,995 (AU$105,000) EV2 will follow in the northern spring of 2024, offering the same performance figures as the EV2X, but with a smaller, 16-module battery and a 400-volt electrical system for over 402km of driving range. The EV2X's 800-volt system and larger battery will be available as an option.

Other specification highlights of note include a 3218mm wheelbase enabling "best-in-class off-road proportions" and "impressive departure and breakover angles", a 10.8-metre turning circle with four-wheel steering equipped, a 'Watts to Freedom' launch control mode and torque vectoring on EV3X and Edition 1 models, and close to 200 available off-road accessories from launch.

A MyMode profile headlines the array of available drive modes, while there's also support for a myGMC smartphone app with Energy Assist.

The 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV will go on sale in the US in Edition 1 form in early 2023 – close to a year and a half after the related EV pick-up, in the northern autumn of 2021 – as a Model Year 2024 vehicle.

Further details of the model will be released in the coming 24 hours, according to GMC.

As for an Australian launch, it's unlikely we'll see the reborn Hummer SUV make its way Down Under any time soon, given local arm General Motors Specialty Vehicles has yet to announce plans for the SUV's pick-up sibling to come to Australia.

However, neither model has been explicitly ruled out for Australian consumption, suggesting there's a chance (albeit a slim one) General Motors' flagship electric behemoths could eventually come to rule local roads.

Below: The GMC Hummer EV pick-up