When we think about big SUVs the one brand that doesn’t skip in our mind is Hummer. First marketed by AM General, a subsidy of General Motors, the brand was discontinued 9 years ago. The company in its last attempt to keep the brand alive tried to sell the brand to China’s Sichuan Tengzhong, but the deal collapsed and the SUV was finally retired in 2010.
Even if the SUV would have somehow survived the restructuring and bankruptcy, the gas-guzzler could not have made past the stringent environmental norms in today’s date. But, GM which holds the brand rights is planning to resurrect the Hummer in a new environmentally friendly avatar by giving it an electric powertrain. As of now no confirmed developments have taken place and everything is on a ‘what if’ basis, but the brand is likely to be considered in the SUV electrification policy that GM is considering for the next decade.
As far as the idea is concerned, it will be quite expensive as it will require the establishment of a new marketing exercise, a new expansive dealer network and a range of other car models to go along with it. But nevertheless, the idea could be viable.
GM is looking at electrifying nearly 20 small EVs by the year 2023 under their new BEV3 project. Also, the brand is looking forward to developing large SUVs with an electric powertrain such as Chevrolet Suburban, Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon among others. With one of the first EVs that is expected to be launched next year is the Chevrolet Bolt EUV.
The posterchild off-roader has one last chance to get resurrected with an electric heart as the brand still holds ground in the SUV space when it comes to capability and luxury. If things turn out in the SUVs favour, Hummer fanboys will definitely be elated to see the iconic Hummer back on the streets. But a big butch SUV which running on battery? Will enthusiasts fancy it?