2022 GMC Hummer EV to Get Fully Independent Air Suspension

GM won’t release details on the all-new, all-electric 2022 Hummer (by GMC) until May 20, but a photo from today’s future electric vehicle presentation by General Motors reveals it will have four-wheel independent suspension with air springs.

We can see from the chassis on display the Hummers (there will be both pickup and SUV body styles) will use a control-arm suspension design at all four corners and will be available with air springs. That said, it’s likely lower trim levels will come standard with steel springs, with the air springs reserved for more expensive models.

Unlike upstart Rivian, Hummer is apparently not planning to offer a four-motor option, which would give each motor independent control of the one wheel it’s attached to, allowing extremely precise power application at each corner based on the situation. Whether the Hummer will use mechanically locking front differentials (not yet done on production EV but coming to the Bollinger B1 and B2) or brake-based torque vectoring to maximize off-road traction remains to be seen. The Tesla Cybertruck, by comparison, will use a brake-based system.

However the power is metered out, it appears to be going to the ground via BF Goodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM3 tires, which are manufactured in sizes ranging from 28 to 39 inches. It’s not clear whether this tire will be offered from the factory, at the dealer, or if it was just used for this mock-up. It’s also not clear what size tire will be offered from the factory, though similar factory built off-road trucks such as the Ford F-250 Tremor have 35-inch tires standard.

While the infamous Hummer H2 was built on the traditional ladder frame of a Chevy Tahoe and employed a live rear axle, the electrified Hummer is going back to its roots. Recall the original AM General HMMWV had four-wheel independent suspension with portal axles for greater ground clearance. Being built on a now-common EV skateboard-type platform (which GM actually pioneered back in 2002), independent suspension on this new Hummer isn’t a surprise as it allows GM to place the electric motors inline with the axles where they take up the least amount of space and offer the shortest, most efficient path to get the power to the wheels.