So You‘re Interested in the New Hummer EV Truck? Here‘s What You Should Know About the Environmental Impact
When GM announced the revival of the Hummer brand as an all-electric pickup, it immediately garnered attention from EV enthusiasts and environmental critics alike. This iconic gas-guzzler now touts exhilarating performance specs powered by batteries instead of gasoline. However, the Hummer EV Edition 1‘s impressive 0-60 sprints and 350-mile range come at an environmental cost beyond what the "zero emissions" marketing suggests.
As an aspiring eco-conscious consumer, you may be wondering: is this electrified super truck actually a planet-friendly choice? Or does it undermine the environmental benefits of more efficient electric vehicles? Below I walk through the Hummer EV announcement in context, analyze the unseen emissions toll of large battery EVs, and discuss the policy implications of vehicles like the 9,000 lb Hummer EV truck. Let‘s dive in!
The Rise and Fall of Hummer: A Brief History
The original Hummer H1 civilian truck grew out of the military‘s Humvee program in 1992, offering civilians their own rugged, off-road status symbol. Powered by a 6.5L V8 engine, the truck gained notoriety for its aggressive machismo styling and terrible 10-14 mpg fuel efficiency.
As climate consciousness accelerated in the 2000s and gas prices swung upwards, criticisms of the vehicle‘s environmental impact mounted. This gas-guzzling reputation ultimately forced General Motors to discontinue the Hummer brand in 2010 during the auto industry crisis.
The all-new 2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1 aims to reinvent Hummer as GM‘s flagship electric truck, powered by the latest lithium-ion battery innovations.
The Hummer EV by the Numbers
Touted as an electric "super truck," the reimagined Hummer EV packs some truly impressive performance stats:
- 1,000 horsepower
- 0-60 mph in 3 seconds thanks to 11,500 lb-ft of torque
- 350+ miles of driving range
- 800V DC fast charging for 100 miles of range in 10 minutes
- 13.4 inch infotainment touch screen
- Removable roof panels for open-air driving
- Four-wheel steering and a "Crab Walk" feature allowing the vehicle to move diagonally
These gobsmacking numbers parallel the outrageous capabilities of the latest electric pickups arriving from Ford, Tesla, Rivian and others vying for EV truck dominance.
However, absent from GM‘s announcements are a few key details that highlight the unseen environmental impacts lurking below the surface…
The Overlooked Emissions of Large, Heavy EVs
While electric vehicles clearly provide localized tailpipe emission improvements over traditional gasoline engines, the distinctions get murky when considering manufacturing, upstream electricity usage, battery production, and lifetime emissions. In these analyses, size and efficiency matter greatly:
Not All Kilowatt-Hours Are Created Equal
Simply having an electric drivetrain does not automatically render every EV model eco-friendly from start to finish. Policymakers, manufacturers and consumers often overlook the vast discrepancies in emissions between EVs based on their widely varying energy efficiency.
To underscore this point, take the electric SUV with currently the highest energy efficiency: the Tesla Model Y Long Range which receives an EPA rating of 131 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent). Compare that to the energy usage of the 9,063 lb Hummer EV: just 47 MPGe.
That‘s a staggering delta:
| Electric Vehicle | MPGe Rating |
|---|---|
| Tesla Model Y Long Range | 131 |
| Ford F-150 Lightning (est.) | 70-80 |
| GMC Hummer EV | 47 |
This yawning efficiency gap directly feeds into higher relative emissions in operation. Based on these MPGe ratings, if the average conventional car emits roughly 200 grams of CO2 per mile over its lifespan, here is how these EVs compare from the tailpipe perspective:
- Tesla Model 3: 27 g CO2 / mile
- Ford F-150 Lightning: 90-100 g CO2 / mile
- Hummer EV: A whopping 341 grams / mile
So while still a massive improvement over the 900+ grams / mile spewed by the original gas-powered Hummer H1, the EV version still falls far short of efficient battery electric rivals – even Ford‘s full-size electric truck.
Upstream Emissions and Electrical Generation
As we calculate emissions for EVs, we must look far beyond the lack of a tailpipe. The majority of emissions occur upstream in the electrical grid powering the vehicle.
Experts estimate the GMC Hummer EV‘s upstream emissions from electrical generation land between 289 g and 411 grams of CO2 per mile under the US energy mix. Compare that to an average mid-size EV emitting approximately 150 grams per mile upstream.
Once again, we see the Hummer EV‘s inefficiency take a heavy toll across the full lifecycle.
The elephantine size doesn‘t help…
Gigantic Mass Leads to Gargantuan Manufacturing Emissions
Manufacturing emissions also scale dramatically with vehicle size, weight and material inputs. That 2,923 lb battery in the Hummer EV required extensive mining, materials processing, manufacturing, conditioning, and assembly – all carbon-intensive processes.
In fact, analysis from the Union of Concerned Scientists found the Hummer EV generates an estimated 43 metric tons of CO2 emissions from raw material extraction through manufacturing. Over double the 19 metric tons average for a typical electric sedan like the Tesla Model 3.
Add this to the operating phase inefficiencies, and you have a vehicle with 2-3 times the lifetime emissions of more reasonably sized electric SUVs or trucks.
The Policy Implications
Given these glaring emissions gulfs between EV models, how should policymakers take more deliberate action?
Embrace Efficiency Standards for EVs
Stricter emissions standards traditionally applied only to conventional vehicles, while EVs escaped scrutiny as "zero emissions" vehicles. However, the vast real-world differences in EV upstream and manufacturing emissions debunk this myth, while underscoring the need for efficiency and sustainability standards in the EV marketplace. Leading climate researchers support factoring weight-based efficiency standards into emissions policy.
Incentivize Truly Green Vehicles
Federal EV tax credit policy provides up to $7,500 incentives to any qualifying electric vehicle purchase below certain pricing thresholds. However, initiatives in Canada and at the state level aim to link incentives more directly to emissions analyses.
For example, British Columbia‘s CEVforBC program provides higher rebates explicitly for the most energy/carbon efficient models – favoring jurisidictions aiming to incentivize only the greenest options.
Improve Manufacturing Sustainability
Automakers also share responsibility for extracting materials ethically, switching to renewable manufacturing power, enabling battery reuse/recycling, and generally minimizing unnecessary size and performance extremes that undermine sustainability.
Close the Information Gap
Finally, improving public data transparency can help consumers make informed choices aligned to their environmental priorities. Added labeling around MPGe and lifetime emissions data would empower buyers to consider the often unseen emissions variability between EVs.
Key Takeaways: Not All EVs Created Equally Green
While GM‘s electrified 2022 Hummer EV Edition 1 delivers visually striking aesthetics and outrageous acceleration figures, its elephantine size and relative energy efficiency undermine the environmental benefits central to the EV transition. With 2-3 times the manufacturing and operational emissions of electric sedans or smaller electric trucks, the 9,000 lb super truck demonstrates that electrification alone does not guarantee sustainability gains. Vehicle size, weight, efficiency, battery materials and manufacturing processes play central roles in the emissions tolls of EVs.
As such, the arrival of gas-guzzling icons like the Hummer EV into the expanding EV marketplace highlight crucial considerations often overlooked by industry, policymakers and consumers alike. Only by confronting these emissions blindspots can we optimize electrification to maximize societal gains rather than merely transferring the environmental burden.
