GM appears to already have its Rivian R2 fighters on the drawing board even though it says it has no plans to build them at this time. GMC has released two new HUMMER concepts, both an SUV and a truck. Both of the HUMMER X concepts are significantly smaller than the current HUMMER SUV and Truck, signaling designer’s awareness that the current truck and SUV are way too big and heavy for the average EV buyer. The new concepts were revealed at a new GM advanced design studio in Pasadena, California.
"Every great concept starts with a belief. Ours was this: the courage to get lost leads us to new discoveries," said Brian Smith, outgoing GM Advanced Design Pasadena studio director. "The team rallied around a working mantra of 'Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints,' and let that philosophy guide every decision. That's not just a tagline – it's the design brief."
Similarly, GM showed California Corvette concepts previously. While Corvette didn’t build the exact models, you see aspects of the concepts in current Corvettes, like the 2027 Grand Sport.
GMC HUMMER X SUV
GMC repeatedly refers to the concepts as mid-size SUVs and trucks. Both of the concepts are about ten inches shorter than the current models. Compared to most vehicles on the road, the current HUMMER SUV and truck appear huge and rather intimidating.
GM also describes the concepts as highly-configurable, which sounds right out of the Rivian playbook. The R2 is highly anticipated because it is smaller, less-expensive and more manageable than the R1s. The R2 also stresses that it can be reconfigured to meet the buyer’s needs.
The HUMMER X concept is envisioned to be a capable rock crawler designed and engineered as a modular platform. It is built around four pillars: reconfigurability, capability, community, and sustainability.
How the HUMMER X Models can be Reconfigured
The HUMMER X concept is designed to be configurable because of its flexible manufacturing technology. Technology called FLEX FAB enables fast, small-batch, on-demand production, similar to 3D printing, but for metal. The manufacturing doesn’t require specialized stamping tools and multiple designs can be produced on the same machines. FLEX FAB unlocked a new HUMMER aesthetic. It produces a clean, flat-topped silhouette with laser-welded seams, and visible precision bolts. Designers describe it as unmistakably HUMMER.
The cockpit is equally adaptable. The concept has stackable displays that let drivers shape their digital experience whether they're rock crawling, trail running, or cruising the highway.
The HUMMER X concept has low center of gravity and 35-to-37-inch Goodyear tires on beadlock wheels. Multimatic shocks, removable fender flares, and extra underbody protection give it the capability to take off-roaders on trails where most vehicles cannot go. GMC isn’t saying if the concepts have the crabwalking feature that most drivers absolutely love in the current HUMMERS to get around obstacles. The concepts do keep the HUMMER EV’s extreme on-demand acceleration which drivers also find useful and fun.
HUMMER X is Designed for a Particular Buyer
HUMMER X was designed for what the team calls the "builder maker". Designers describe potential buyers as “Someone who doesn't just drive a vehicle; they build it, modify it, and share it with a community that gets it.”
Concepts always have fun futuristic possibilities. For the HUMMER X, the team connects the vehicles with drones. The Advanced Design Pasadena team envisions a suite of connected apps designed to connect drivers and their vehicles before, during, and after every trip. Designers called the technology the HUMMER HUB. The Hub could even send a scout drone to fly ahead on the trail, feed real-time terrain data back to the vehicle, and land and dock itself when not in use.
Sustainability
The HUMMER X replaces adhesives with snap fits and mechanical fasteners – just simple, single materials that are envisioned to be fully recycled. Seatbacks, headrest backs and instrument panel ends are made from recycled car fascias, and parts are designed for easy disassembly so customers can swap, share, and recirculate them as part of the community experience, helping to create a circular economy. Hidden throughout the concept are a few Easter eggs: the team's mantra is imprinted in Morse code on the floor, and the tire treads spell out "the courage to get lost leads to new discoveries."
GMC HUMMER X SUV SPECS:
- Wheelbase: 2945.5mm (116”)
- Length: 4782.5mm (188.3”)
- Height: 1852.6mm (72.9”)
- Width: 2032mm (80”)
- Approach Angle: 44 Deg.
- Departure Angle: 46 Deg.
- Breakover Angle: 30.9 Deg.
- Ground Clearance: 334.3mm (13.2”)
- Flex Fab Percentage: 57%
- 18" Aluminum Wheels with accent inserts
GMC HUMMER X TRUCK SPECS:
- Wheelbase: 3318.6mm (130.7”)
- Length: 5264.5mm (207.3”)
- Height: 1854.4mm (73.0”)
- Width: 2032mm (80”)
- Approach Angle: 41.5 Deg.
- Departure Angle: 29.7 Deg.
- Breakover Angle: 24.9 Deg.
- Ground Clearance: 316.7mm (12.5”)
- Flex Fab Percentage: 57%
- 22" Aluminum Wheels with accent inserts
Why A Southern California Design Center
GM has had a design center in Southern California, for nearly 40 years. The new campus significantly expands GM's Los Angeles-area footprint. The Pasadena studio spans three buildings, and is fully equipped for full-size clay modeling, fabrication, and immersive digital collaboration. It is home to about 100 team members working on design, sculpting and fabrication. The studio’s focus area is on conceptual design studies, which are intended to inspire and encourage collaboration. It is often said that most trends start on the coasts and work their way into the heartland. GM has major design centers in Detroit, the UK, and Shanghai.
"Southern California isn't just a place where we work, it's a place of unfiltered inspiration. Film, art, architecture, aerospace, technology and the remarkably diverse topography create an unparalleled canvas of experiences that drives an incredibly unique vehicle culture," said Bryan Nesbitt, VP of Global Design, GM. "These sources of inspiration influence how our designers see the world to envision what mobility could offer 10 or 20 years into the future, exploring new designs, technology and experiences for GM customers."
GMC’s Future HUMMERS
Even though GM says these are just concepts and won’t be built, the concepts are indications that GMC still considers the HUMMER a viable nameplate. Poor sales show that the current HUMMER EVs are just too big and heavy. If we see future HUMMERS, they’ll be smaller like this and much more manageable.
Images by GM
About the Author
Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin. Follow Mary at @MaryConwayMedia on X and on Facebook, and send her car news tips for future stories. Mary Conway is an esteemed automotive and business reporter who was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame in 2019. Mary is a member of the Automotive Press Association, Rocky Mountain Automotive Press, Society of Professional Journalists, and NATAS.
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