in , , ,

GMC HUMMER EV EXPECTED TO SPAN MULTIPLE GVWR CLASSES

Will There Be Three-Quarter And/Or Full-Ton Hummer Pickup Trucks?

2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1
Image Via GMC.

While it is far from the first electric vehicle that GM has made over the years, the GMC Hummer EV strikes a very different tone. It’s massively powerful, packs a battery unrivaled in size, and should dominate off-road when the need arises. In short, this is no Chevy Bolt EV. Most importantly though is the fact that it is a pickup truck, America’s most beloved type of vehicle, while an SUV variant will debut later. Being as there are multiple truck classes on the market, spanning across incredible measures of capability, MC&T had questions about what weight class of truck the electric Hummer will be, so we sat down with the truck’s lead engineer to find out.

“We’re actually going to span a few different classes,” said Hummer EV Lead Development Engineer Aaron Pfau to MC&T, when asked which gross vehicle weight rating class the Hummer belongs to. “ We will be getting into more mass (GVWR) numbers soon, but know that we will have different classes and different categories based on the subsequent rollout after Edition 1.”

2022 GMC Hummer EV
Image Via GMC.

Based on what we know about the Hummer EV at this moment, it is possible that we will get a Class 2A/2B model, with the range-topping three-motor trucks coming in as a Class 3 truck. For context, Class 2A trucks are what we know today as the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2021 Ford F-150. An example of a Class 2B truck would be the Silverado 2500HD or F-250 Super Duty. And a Class 3 truck would be the Silverado 3500HD or F-350 Super Duty. These classes are calculated based on the truck’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), which is the maximum operating weight/mass of a vehicle as specified by the manufacturer including the vehicle’s chassis, body, engine, engine fluids, fuel, accessories, driver, passengers and payload. Trailer ratings are not included in this specific calculation. For additional reference, the Tesla Cybertruck is expected to be either a Class 2B or 3 truck.

This won’t be the first time we’ve seen an EV manufacturer offer a model spanned across several classes. The Bollinger Motors Deliver-E van and its E-Chassis were specifically engineered to meet the restrictions for Classes 2B, 3, 4, and 5. Deliver-E buyers will even be able to spec which class their vehicle needs to fall under, which brings a huge amount of flexibility for the automaker.

Regardless of which classes the GMC Hummer EV falls into, there is no denying the importance of the vehicle from a business standpoint. Even if you ignore the fact the GM plans to have an All Electric Future™, the reborn Hummer has real implications for GM’s bottom line right now. The EV will qualify for emissions credits, which help the automaker meet (rather theatrical) government mandates.

2022 GMC Hummer EV EV2 EV2X Edition 1 EV3X

Image Via GMC.“Our intent is that we’re going to help our broad (GM truck) family with emission credits,” said Hummer EV Chief Engineer Al Oppenheiser in an interview with MC&T.

Currently only 11 States are part of the ZEV emissions credit program, and only vehicles sold in these states return credits. These credits are assigned based on the type of vehicle being sold and the range that it comes with. If the Hummer EV were to potentially be rated as Class 3 pickup truck that provides up to 350 miles of range, it’s a safe bet that each Hummer sold will return the maximum amount of credits to GM. While Tesla has been able to help their margins by selling these credits to other automakers, GM will certainly keep these credits for themselves now as we move forward.

Hummer EV Edition 1
Image Via GMC.

Written by Lucas Bell

Lucas holds a journalism degree from Wayne State University, and is a Automotive Press Association scholarship recipient. While an American muscle fan through and through, he once wrote a fascinating comparison review about eScooters.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

2021 Ford F-150 Limited With Pro Power Onboard

2021 FORD F-150 CURRENTLY OFFERING NO PAYMENTS FOR 90 DAYS

Hennessey Exorcist Camaro

HERE’S HOW HENNESSEY BUILDS THE 1,000 HP EXORCIST CAMARO ZL1: VIDEO