Why Electric Hummer Rivals Rivian R1T And Isn’t A Tesla Killer

The upcoming Electric Hummer isn’t a Tesla killer but a Rivian R1T rival. Only a few days ago, the Wall Street Journal reported that General Motors is trying to revive the Hummer brand under the GMC, which ended on 1 June 2009.

It wasn’t long before people started drawing comparisons between the upcoming electric Hummer and the Tesla Cybertruck.

I am here to argue that the Hummer electric SUV is not really a Tesla killer but a direct competition to the Rivian R1T.

For the uninitiated, the Rivian R1T is an electric pickup truck, also available as an SUV called R1S, which is slated for a late 2020 launch.

Rivian is a company that has received almost $3 billion in investment from tech giants like Amazon, and most importantly from Ford, one of GM’s main rivals.

And you wouldn’t be wrong to think that GM’s Hummer and Rivian’s electric trucks are continuing their decade-long rivalry into the modern era with electric vehicles.

Therefore without wasting any time, here are four reasons that explain why the electric Hummer is not a Tesla killer but a Rivian slayer.

Electric Hummer Is Not A Tesla Killer

1. Price

Price is the main factor that determines competition in each sector. The starting price of the base Rivian R1T pickup truck is $69,000 and while we may not have official pricing on the electric Hummer, we know that it isn’t going to be any cheaper.

The general trend with electric vehicles is that they’re always more expensive than their ICE counterparts. The petrol version of the Hyundai Kona costs around 60% less than the price of the Kona electric.

So, an electric Hummer, in 2020, will simply be a lot more expensive than the $39,000 Tesla Cybertruck, leading to its exclusion as a direct competitor in the process.

2. Different Aesthetics

I don’t like using this word, but it perfectly defines what the Tesla Cybertruck, the Rivian R1T, and the Electric Hummer, offer their respective customers.

Tesla Cybertruck, simply put, is a bulletproof vehicle with a design so polarising that it might make the current political climate seem bipartisan. Yes it can go off-road like a Rivian and a Hummer and it pulls heavy stuff like them as well but it will not attract your average joe or truck buyer with its design.

The Rivian R1T and electric Hummer’s design look will probably hover along the lines of “advance-looking trucks” instead of being completely “outlandish.”

I said probably because we don’t yet know what the electric Hummer will look like. However, if GM is going to use the Hummer brand, then its iconic styling and design are sure to be carried forward in its electric version as well.

Also, based on some new leaks, the environment-friendly Hummer might just retain its rugged look, even in its electric form.

3. Ford’s Investment In Rivian Sparked The Revival Of Electric Hummer

The rivalry between Ford and Hummer goes is very well known. For decades, both manufacturers have fought for dominance in the market and in the race track as well.

When Ford announced the electrification of its Mustang brand and invested a sizeable amount in EV startup Rivian, GM started to notice.

Like Ford, they too wanted a piece of the booming EV sales and had a popular car brand at their disposal to do so.

With Tesla’s Cybertruck gouging out its own new piece of market share, that doesn’t consist of traditional truck buyers; GM and Ford are going to go against each other to become the electric car maker that’ll attract your conventional SUV aficionados.

Ford, being an investor in Rivian, will also make use of the electric powertrain of the R1T in its upcoming Ford F-150 electric. So don’t be surprised if you start seeing huge leaks of the electric F150, after the reveal of electric Hummer.

4. Different Target Markets

Tesla Cybertruck is one of a kind. As brilliantly put forward by marketing expert Mike Gastin, “I don’t think Elon is trying to capture the $100 billion truck market.”

Tesla wants to create a new brand with Cybertruck and its latest brand promise is “delivering the future – today.”

“The genius of Tesla is that they’re rolling out what would’ve – in the past – been a concept car, but they’re selling it as a production car,” explains Mike.

I think that this strategy might be good enough for attracting new buyers, particularly those who didn’t own an SUV or pickup owner before, but it’s not great for getting current truck buyers on board.

Rivain R1T and the electric Hummer are aimed at doing exactly that. Both look like a natural evolution of conventional SUVs and pickup trucks.

So they’ll be competing mostly against each other and not against Cybertruck.

Rivian R1T Is Taking Shape Nicely

With each new leak of the Rivian R1T electric pickup, it becomes clear that the Michigan-based startup has hit the right cords when it comes to making a great off-road vehicle.

Their pickup truck comes in three variants, with the base version churning out 300 kW of power with the ability to go 230 miles on a single charge courtesy of a 105 kWh battery pack.

The other variants are as follows:

• Mid version: 562 kW power, 300 miles range with 135 kWh battery pack
• Top version: 522 kW power, 400 miles range with 180 kWh battery pack

Rivain R1T truck will also come with a ton of accessories, including an optional portable kitchen. The company also revealed a ‘tank-turn’ feature, which if you’ve played Batman: Arkham Knight you might be familiar with.

With all that being said, I am genuinely excited to see GM making an electric Hummer. A vehicle which was once a symbol of excess consumption will now be revived as an environment ready means of transportation.

If that isn’t the most 2020 thing, I don’t know what is.

According to WSJ NBA star, Lebron James will unveil the upcoming electric Hummer during a Superbowl TV spot. And I know I am not the only one who thinks that they should’ve approached Arnold Schwarzenegger for it.

What do you think of the electric Hummer? Are you excited about it? Let me know in the comments.