GM To Unveil A New Electric Hummer That Goes On Sale In 2021

The Hummer, once a gas-guzzling target for environmentalists, is making a comeback. But this time, it won't burn fuel or spew greenhouse gases.

General Motors announced Thursday that it will start selling a battery-powered Hummer pickup truck in September 2021. Part of the new Hummer will be shown in a 30-second television ad featuring basketball star LeBron James during the second quarter of Sunday's Super Bowl.

GM gave only a few details Thursday about the truck, which will be officially unveiled May 20. It will have a huge battery to generate the equivalent of 1,000 horsepower, the company said, and will be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds. The Hummer also will produce 11,500 foot pounds of torque, a measure of rotational force that indicates a high towing capacity.

GM wouldn't reveal the price or say how far the new Hummer can travel on a single charge of its battery.

The vehicle will be sold under the GMC brand as the Hummer EV. The new version will have design elements similar to the old one, but will not look like the Hummer of the past, GM spokeswoman Michelle Malcho said.

The Hummer EV is entering an electric truck market that already has noteworthy competition. Tesla last year announced its Cybertruck that CEO Elon Musk estimated can tow 14,000 pounds. There are more than 200,000 pre-orders of the Cybertruck.

Rivian's R1T and Bollinger's B1 and B2 are also electric trucks. Ford is working on an electric version of its F-150 pickup truck, according to Roadshow. 

GM announced earlier this week that its new Hummer would be built in Detroit. The GM Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant will be revamped to become GM's main producer of electric trucks as well as an autonomous electric shuttle.

The company said it would employ 2,200 workers and invest $2.2 billion to retool the plant, which will stop making the Cadillac CT6 and Chevrolet Impala sedans at the end of February. About 900 people are employed at the plant now. 

GM scrapped the Hummer brand early in 2010 after the company emerged from bankruptcy protection.

The brand originated as the Humvee military vehicle built by AM General in South Bend, Indiana. The Hummer's civilian version attracted a devoted following among early SUV lovers, who were drawn to the off-road ready vehicles. But the enormous vehicles drew scorn from environmentalists and sales never recovered after gasoline prices spiked above $4 a gallon in 2008.