The GMC Hummer X pickup and SUV concepts revealed today shift the famously oversized Hummer nameplate down to a mid-size footprint.
The electric design studies were shown in part to call attention to the inauguration of General Motors’ new 148,000-square-foot Advanced Design Pasadena Studio campus in California.
As such, the concepts look well beyond current production programs to explore new styling codes, technology and sustainability for future off-road mobility.
GM’s design campus
The complex spans three buildings and houses around 100 designers, sculptors and fabricators. While GM stresses that the Hummer X twins are strictly testbeds and are not planned for series production, the vehicles showcase revolutionary construction methods.
Chief among them is FLEX FAB, a flexible manufacturing process that acts like 3D printing for metal. Eliminating the need for costly, dedicated stamping tools, this process enables fast, small-batch, on-demand production.
Visually, this technology dictates the concepts’ sophisticated silhouette, characterized by flat surfaces, rounded edges, laser-welded seams, and exposed fasteners.
The aesthetic is tailored to hands-on off-road enthusiasts. The concepts feature modular components designed for easy disassembly and replacement, using clever mechanical clips instead of traditional adhesives.
Sustainability is another focus. Recycled car fascia material is used in the seatbacks, headrest backs and instrument panel ends to encourage circular material sharing.
The concepts are designed as highly capable rock crawlers. They boast a low centre of gravity, serious underbody protection, removable fender flares, Multimatic shocks and beadlock wheels.
The SUV concept sits on massive 37-inch Goodyear tires with a 2,945.5 mm wheelbase and 334.3 mm of ground clearance, achieving an aggressive 44-degree approach angle. The pickup variant rides on 35-inch tires and features a longer 3,318.6 mm wheelbase.
Inside the cabin, GM explored stackable digital displays that can be dynamically reconfigured for highway driving, trail use, or intense rock crawling. This tech is complemented by a "Hummer Hub" app concept featuring a built-in scout drone that can autonomously survey a trail ahead and relay terrain data directly to the driver.
Keen observers will also find inspiring hidden details, such as the outdoor mantra, “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints,” printed in Morse code on the floor.
