Will The Hummer EV Be The New Favorite For RVers?

The Hummer EV Kicks Off the EV RV Tow Truck Era

RVers love their trucks, and why shouldn’t they? Those trucks tow the RVs those same truck lovers own. A capable truck is often what makes the difference between an enjoyable RV journey and a white-knuckle ride. RVers know that it’s vital to choose your truck and RV combination wisely.

Electric trucks are already poised to encroach on territory dominated by the Ford F-Series trucks. Tesla’s Cybertruck piqued the interest of RVers with its stout torque and towing capabilities. Now, GMC has done the same with its new truck, the Hummer EV. By resurrecting an old name with a newer shape and cutting edge technology, will the Hummer EV be the new favorite truck for RVers?

The GMC Hummer EV Torque

GMC’s new EV appears to be taking a page from several books. Building on the electric success of Tesla, the Jeep Wrangler’s open-air accessibility, and the Ford Bronco’s retro-revival style, the new Hummer appears to be hitting on all…electric motors.

Will the Hummer EV be a solid truck for RVers though? GMC currently estimates that their new EV will achieve up to 1,000 horsepower and 11,500 lb-ft of torque. Those are ridiculous numbers, and as of yet are still estimated. To put that torque number into perspective, here are a few examples that RVers can relate to:

• 1,850 lb-ft – Volvo D13 diesel engine found in 45 ft. Prevost luxury coaches.
• 1,150 lb-ft – 2021 Tiffin Phaeton 40 IH Class A motorhome
• 1,050 lb-ft – 2021 Ford F250/F350/F450 diesel truck
• 442 lb-ft – 2021 Jeep Wrangler diesel

For RVers looking to pull a travel trailer or 5th wheel, torque is more important than horsepower. Trucks Only states it well here;

“Torque is all about generating low-end power. It’s good for getting your vehicle in motion and on the move. Torque is good for trucks that need to pull a lot of weight around. In simple terms, you can think of torque as a measure of how much work your vehicle can do.  A healthy amount of torque is what pulls you up hills and helps you haul trailers around.”

Hummer EV Specs

Here are some of the estimated Hummer EV specs as released by GMC. 

• Horsepower – 1,000
• Torque – 11,500 lb-ft
• Driving Range on a full charge – 350 miles
• 0 – 60 mph – 3 seconds
• Ground Clearance – 11.9 inches (15.9 w/extract mode)
• Water Fording – 28 inches (32” w/extract mode)

Can I charge the Hummer EV at a campground?

The new GMC Hummer will use a 30-amp cord to charge. It is expected that like the Tesla, there will be adapters available to take the Hummer cord to a standard TT-30 campground pedestal receptacle.

One would also expect a J1772 adapter to be in the mix in some way, either included with the Hummer or as a separate purchase to charge your new EV at standard charging stations. GMC is offering some trim levels of the Hummer to include an 800 VDC fast charger to allow nearly 100 miles of range in just a 10-minute charge.

Can I flat tow a Hummer EV?

Very little detail is given at this time about flat towing the Hummer EV. We can however see the integrated tow hooks adorning both the front and rear bumpers. This leads us to believe that flat towing is a possibility.

Weight was not provided at this time, however, based on Rivian and Cybertruck weights, you can expect this new truck to weigh in at well over the 5,000 lb. towing limit set by smaller motorhomes. If you see one of these being towed behind a motorhome, it will likely be a larger one with a 10,000 lb or more towing capacity.

Hummer EV Crabwalk and other special features

Introduced with the new Hummer is a slew of interesting features. The Crabwalk certainly brings the wow-factor. Designed to help you get out of an off-road jam, Crabwalk utilizes the Hummer’s 4-wheel steering to allow driving diagonally, up to 10-degrees in either direction, to help with egress.

The new Hummer’s Extract Mode is another feature designed to help with off-roading. Extract mode utilizes an air suspension to raise the Hummer EV an additional 6 inches to clear obstacles and provide additional water fording.

Like the Jeep Wrangler, ever-popular with RVers, the new Hummer affords the ability to “go topless” by using modular sky panels as part of its Infinity Roof. Removing those panels reveals a luxurious interior and a very Tesla-like, large control screen.

Space isn’t a problem of course. With no internal combustion engine and transmission to get in the way, the interior appears quite spacious.

The interior of the new Hummer EV is spacious

Hummer EV price and availability

If you aren’t in a hurry, the new GMC Hummer EV2 will start at $79,995. You’ll have to wait until 20243 for this “low-end” version. The initial launch will be with the Edition 1, starting at $112,595, slated to arrive in the fall of 2021. The EV3X at $99,995 and EV2X at $89,995 will follow in subsequent years, culminating with the EV2. These four models will round out the full line. 

Time will tell how many will pony up the cash for these electric ponies. With that said, at the time of this writing, GMC’s official website noted that reservations were already full for the Edition 1.

The bigger picture is likely that this truck will continue to accelerate the EV era for all vehicles. If aftermarket manufacturers can expound on available accessories and options, the Hummer EV might be the perfect truck for RVers.

Patrick Buchanan

All around RV industry enthusiast who has been RVing for 8 years and enjoys trips with his wife and dogs in their diesel pusher.