The New GMC Hummer EV Is Going Rally Racing
Chip Ganassi’s Extreme E race truck will be a Hummer, at least on the outside.
GMC and Chip Ganassi Racing's Extreme E team have partnered to, err, make their off-road EV look like Hummer's off-road EV even though it's not actually a Hummer. The outfit's Spark-designed Odyssey-21 will take on the silver bodywork and back-of-the-Millennium-Falcon light band from the Hummer EV on top of its spec chassis, helping it stand out amidst the sea of electric racers.
Teams in Extreme E are obliged to use the same Williams Advanced Technology-supplied battery, a Spark-built powertrain and a common chassis but can add their own bodywork if they want to get fancy about it. CGR has opted for that, with a custom grille, graphics and bodywork making the podracer-esque Odyssey look, uh, sort of like a Hummer EV?
The Odyssey when it's not dressed up as a Hummer
They're obviously different cars but there's no denying CGR will look distinctive in the Extreme E field. Jim Campbell, vice president of performance and motorsport at GMC, said, “I can’t think of a better fit than showcasing the look of GMC’s Hummer EV in Extreme E with Chip Ganassi Racing. Both GMC Hummer EV and the Extreme E series are designed to be revolutionary—to challenge perceptions of electric vehicles and to showcase their true capability.”
CGR's drivers in the series are Kyle LeDuc and Sara Price, both experienced off-roaders and the only all-American lineup in the field. Chip Ganassi himself says it's a perfect partnership:
“It’s truly an honor to represent GMC, especially during such an exciting time in auto racing. The new GMC HUMMER EV is going to be a game-changer in terms of how the world views off-road EV capability, and we couldn’t be more proud to represent GMC in such an innovative new series.”
Ok, it looks like a flying saucer. But then both the Odyssey and the Hummer EV kinda always did, so...yay?
Got a tip? Send us a note: tips@thedrive.com