General Motors (GM) announced a partnership with overland specialist outfitter EarthCruiser that will result in a GMC Hummer EV pickup concept vehicle and a subsequent line of accessories for the zero-emissions truck.
Founded in 2009 in Australia, EarthCruiser specializes in making off-road-ready machines that range from over-the-top Unimog builds to more down-to-earth slide-in campers for pickups.
“GMC has long been a leader in professional-grade trucks with 100-plus years of uncompromising pickup capability, luxury, and driver control,” said Josh Tavel, GM executive chief engineer, Battery Electric Trucks. “We had an instant connection with EarthCruiser — a leader in the overland community — and their similar vision to accelerate the zero-tailpipe-emissions future. EarthCruiser products have proven their performance in environments around the world and we’re excited to join them on this next chapter of adventure and exploration.”
The two companies will develop top-tier, zero-compromise adventure vehicles that leverage EarthCruiser’s expertise in making unique and innovative self-contained living habitats, as the official press release mentions, although the two brands aren’t ready to divulge concrete facts yet.
Judging from the teaser image accompanying the release, we can speculate that the Hummer EV pickup concept will feature solar panels on the roof and some sort of storage box on the side, but that’s about it.
“EarthCruiser designs its vehicles to thrive in the most extreme, toughest environments imaginable,” said EarthCruiser CEO/Founder Lance Gillies. “From the Australian Outback to the Alaskan wilderness and everywhere in between, an EarthCruiser was made to tackle tough terrain. As we consider the future of overlanding, we are continuing to look toward key technologies like electrification that will help us explore for decades to come. Electrification presents exciting opportunities for overland use, such as precise torque control over terrain and ease of use, in addition to zero-tailpipe emissions. We’re thrilled to be working with GM’s team of top-tier EV engineers and look to develop an overland vehicle that’s truly made for, and will define, the future of this industry.”
The GMC Hummer EV pickup overlander concept will be unveiled sometime in late summer 2023, so stay tuned on Motor1 and InsideEVs.com to find out more.
GM’s so-called super truck entered production in late 2021 and features four-wheel steering, adaptive air suspension, and up to 1,000 horsepower and 11,500 pound-feet of torque in the most expensive version, the sold-out Edition 1.
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