Kriesel Electric, an Austrian start-up, has designed an all-electric Hummer for Hollywood actor and former mayor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The actor had previously hired Kreisel Electric to fit his Mercedes-Benz G-Class with an electric powertrain to replace its internal combustion engine.
“Kreisel Electric electrified my G-Class last winter. And now a Hummer. If Kreisel keeps it up at this pace, I will soon be able to fly here from LA in an electric airplane,” said Schwarzenegger.
It took them two months to put the car together and it uses high-performance batteries from Kreisel Electric with 100kWh capacity and two electric motors on the front and back axles, for a total output of 490hp. The car can hit speeds of up to 120kph and can cover a range of about 300km.
To put it into perspective, the standard Hummer SUV is known to be one of the least fuel-efficient cars around while offering supreme off-road capability. The company has expanded its operations by inaugurating its new facility with an annual production capacity of 8,000 battery packs for cars, home-storage and aviation. The company will also produce and develop prototypes for carmakers and other industries.
“With our electrified prototypes, we want to show what is possible using Kreisel technology. We will certainly not mass-produce these models. But our Hummer is a powerhouse in wolf’s clothing, one that drives so quietly even the sheep are not disturbed,” said Markus Kreisel, co-founder and CEO, Kreisel Electric.