In this week’s Ask Nathan:
- Will the GMC Hummer EV vs. Bronco & Wrangler happen?
- What is the Nissan Ariya EV?
- Is the Chevy Spark dead too?
The first question comes from a GM fan who wants to know if there’s hope for a GMC Hummer EV vs. Bronco and Wrangler in the future.
Q: Tired of a million bloggers posting about the 2021 Ford Bronco! Every unqualified “journalist” seems to have a dozen posts about it! But what about the GMC Hummer EV vs. Bronco and Wrangler?
Come on! I mean it’s oversaturation at best! What totally bugs me is that these “experts” are NOT off-roaders by any stretch of the imagination. Only a few sites like TFL actually go off-road all the time. I hate that Ford is rewarding these posers while punishing you! It’s like old man Henry Ford is back from the dead and doesn’t like the way you guys look or something.
I’m mad at everyone, including TFL because of all the love the new Bronco gets before anyone has even driven it. It could be amazing, but you guys simply don’t know yet right? That goes for all the sellouts who heap praise without even a test drive or noting any negatives. I know I am bitter, but there has been so much in my face coverage that I’m already sick of it!
Anyway I am an unfortunate GM fan and it’s been a hard couple of years. I read your story about possibly taking the amazing Colorado ZR2 and making it a proper SUV to fight the other guys. But I doubt with GM’s incompetent leadership and marketing we’ll ever see that. No, just the military.
So I wondered, is there a glimmer of hope with the GMC Hummer EV vs Bronco and Wrangler? Imagine having an EV that KILLED both of these brands! It would be pretty cool, even though I do not like EVs that much. You convinced me that there is a lot of potential. I hope the GMC Hummer EV is at least as good or better than the Tesla Cybertruck!
Oh please let GM make up for their Blazer and other mistakes!
Signed,
— Frustrated GM fan
A: Hi there.
Thanks for the email and support.
Before we discuss the GMC Hummer EV, I wanted to comment on your issues with everyone’s Bronco (and Bronco Sport) coverage. Look, I know there’s a lot of material floating around the internet. This will continue for several weeks before calming down. You have to understand, not only is the Bronco a big story, it’s also welcome news.
So many of us are having a rough time right now. Simply reporting on something cool and positive is a bit of a catalyst for some of the additional coverage. Simply put: the Bronco and Bronco Sport make a lot of people feel good. Even some Jeep folks are keen to learn more about these vehicles.
With that being said, let’s talk about the upcoming GMC Hummer EV vs Bronco and Wrangler.
We are still in a holding pattern with the GMC Hummer EV’s launch, it was delayed, as many other debuts were delayed, because of the COVID-19 crisis. Still, we do know that this EV will have up to 1,000 horsepower, 11,500 lb-ft of torque and have a 0 to 60 mph time of (up to) 3-seconds. It will be built in Detroit at the Hamtramck assembly plant.
Keep in mind: these numbers work differently than measurements on gas and diesel vehicles that use gears. These numbers are most likely based on the top-of-the line version with three motors as well.
Here’s the newest from TFLtruck.com:
“The additional news comes to us courtesy of the Seeking Alpha financial analyst site. It is based on the information released during the quarterly earnings call. This reports suggests that GM’s modular battery design would allow for a battery capacity of 144 – 192 kWh. Also, the Hummer EV will have unique off-road and towing focused versions with different configurations. This makes sense since most other SUVs and trucks have off-road specific models, like the Chevy Tahoe Z71 or the GMC Yukon AT4. While other trim levels are better suited for towing heavier trailers.”
and…
What is now confirmed, however, is our earlier report covering what appeared to be a glass-panel roof for GMC’s revived Hummer and first all-electric truck. That is indeed the case, as the rendering above shows a T-top arrangement for the roof panels. More specifically, the truck will have four removable panels, and that T-bar can be taken out as well. Doing that will allow for a completely open-air experience, similar to what we’d have with the Jeep Wrangler or Gladiator.
Our friends from Green Car Reports got to see the pre-production model in person, but no cameras were available. It sounds like the look and functionality of the old Hummer is now combined with the potential of an EV Hummer. That could be cool – no?
That type of power could mean a ridiculous power-to-weight ratio. Incredible off-road torque is possible, as is the potential for ridiculous numbers for water wading. IF the folks at GM make this GMC Hummer EV as much as an off-road icon as the original H2 and H3 — there is serious potential here.
Will it compete against the Wrangler?
Jeep is expected to electrify their fleet soon. We will soon see a PHEV Wrangler that should have good torque and good MPG. It should be nearl as off-road-capable as their gas and diesel Wranglers as well. On top of that, they seem to be serious about adding a big-honking HEMI to their Wrangler soon. This is to combat the new Bronco with the beefy V6 turbo.
We suspect the GMC Hummer EV will be very expensive. We also expect it to be a small pickup truck that may be more competitive with the Jeep Gladiator. If that’s the case, it’s possible that the Gladiator may fight back with a PHEV or EV version in the future as well.
Will it compete against the Ford Bronco?
Right now, the new Ford Bronco is more of a direct competitor to the Wrangler than an EV competitor. That makes sense for the time-being. Still, that doesn’t mean that Ford has no plans to upgrade/update the Bronco’s power-train in the near future.
We’ve already seen Ford’s PHEV efforts with the Lincoln Aviator PHEV. It makes ridiculous power and torque numbers. Many believe that this power-train, or one similar to it, could find its way into a future Bronco.
As it stands for the immediate future, the Wrangler and Bronco will be a bit of an anomaly in a crowded segment. General Motors could pull off a stunner with this GMC Hummer EV. Many of us have high hopes for something remarkable, but we’re only cautiously optimistic.
We’ll know a lot more very soon!
— N
The next question comes from a fan who wants to know more about the Nissan Ariya EV.
Q: (Via: NathanAdlen@Twitter) Have info on this new Nissan EV?
Love my Leaf, but it’s kind of old and my range is about 100 miles now. Most reliable car I ever had. I want something that’s NOT A TESLA that has the newest stuff. I want an affordable AWD EV and I hope this is it!
— Glenn C from Oceanside, CA
Here is the official world premier of the Ariya.
A: Thanks for the question Glenn!
The 2021 Nissan Ariya is Nissan’s first all electric crossover. Available in four configurations and in FWD and AWD, the 2021 Nissan Ariya just debuted in Japan a few days back.
The 2021 Nissan Ariya will have a 65 and 90 kWh battery available. Range will be up to 300 miles. It will be able to make up to 388 horsepower & 443 lb-ft of torque with the front and rear electric motors.
From our coverage at TFLcar.com: Nissan lists maximum 0-62 MPH acceleration at 5.1 seconds. The 0-60 MPH acceleration could be listed at 5 seconds flat or less when the Ariya reaches our shores. Nissan says that approximately 200+ miles of range could be replenished in about 30 minutes, using a fast 130 kW charger. Level-2 7.2 kW charger is also available.
According to Nissan USA, the Ariya will go on sale here near the end of 2021 with a starting price of around $40,000.
I’ll be honest with you. I’m very interested to drive this car. Can’t wait!
— N
Speaking of Nissan EVs:
The last question is from a viewer who wants to know if the Chevrolet Spark is about to be killed off.
Q (Via NathanAdlen@Twitter): Will we see a Chevrolet Spark in 2022? Will it die like the Sonic?
What do you do with all of your project vehicles when you’re done? I know you sell some. But all of them? Do you do anything else with them?
Thanks!
— Beck
A: Thanks for the question!
I was sad to see the Chevrolet Sonic retired from GM’s stable. Last year, GM sold about 37,000 Chevrolet Sparks in North America. While that’s not a peak sales number, it is an increase over the 2017 and 2018 model years.
If we consider the poor sales throughout 2020 for all automakers as a throw-away year, the profit numbers of the Spark are okay. So far, GM has no plans to discontinue the Spark according to GM Authority. In fact, we could see an all-new Chevrolet Sonic with the newest version of the GM G2 platform in 2022 or 2023. It may be a small crossover-like vehicle, or it could remain a hatchback.
The point is, at least for now, the little Chevy Spark has a reprieve.
— N
