GMC Hummer EV's Big Battery Pack A "Limiting Factor" For Production

GM's Factory Zero has plenty of capacity for Hummer production, but one Humvee battery is nearly enough for two mass-market EVs.

By: Christopher Smith

Jan 30, 2023 at 5:46pm ET

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In its top trim, the GMC Hummer EV is absurdly fast for something that weighs over 9,000 pounds. It should come as no surprise that it takes a lot of power to shoot the Humvee to 60 mph in about the same time as a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, but it's still something of a shock when you hear a GMC executive put that into perspective.

That's exactly what GMC and Buick Global Vice President Duncan Aldred did today at GMC's business roundtable in Detroit. Speaking to reporters, he conceded that the Hummer EV's size and power needs are basically that of two normal electric vehicles in GM's growing electric portfolio. More than chip shortages or labor issues, battery availability could have repercussions on production if supplies become more strained than they already are.

Gallery: 2022 GMC Hummer EV: First Drive

"What is more a limiting factor is the amount of battery cells that are available," said Aldred. "We are looking very carefully at which product lines we put those in. As you can imagine, Hummer EV is a pretty heavy user of battery cells when you compare it to, really, any other EV in the GM portfolio. You almost get to a point where one Hummer could be two of something else within the GM EV stable of products."

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In its highest form, the GMC Hummer EV features a 212-kWh battery pack. That's over three times the size compared to the Chevrolet Bolt, and double the size of the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevrolet Blazer EV. Crosstown competitor Ford installs a 131-kWh battery pack in top trims of the F-150 Lightning. Meanwhile, going Plaid in a Tesla Model X requires a 100-kWh pack. When the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV arrive, they will offer packs similar in size to the Hummer.

The irony of the Hummer EV's thirst for electricity certainly doesn't go unnoticed. Our colleagues at InsideEVs recently had the chance to fast-charge a nearly-depleted Hummer EV through an Electrify America charger. It took approximately 2.5 hours to finish, adding 224 kWh of power at a cost of nearly $100.

Source: GMC