North American Electric Vehicles Cyber Hummer

What do you do when you want an electric Hummer, but the GMC Hummer EV is just too new for you? Maybe you want something a little more old-school. An electric Humvee. Something that uses new technology from today, but reminds you of the tough military-based vehicles of yesterday. That’s where NAEV comes into play. Their new creation, the “Cyber Hummer”, is a mix of old and new, built from a clever arrangement of EV parts and an old Humvee.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from an in-person official first drive press launch accompanied by official manufacturer representatives.

The Power Of Tesla

It drives like a large Model Y at first. That’s probably because most of its components that make it work are from that and the Model 3, and the Model S. The way it creeps forward, and even the power delivery has been preserved, here.

A Frankenstein Of Parts

The battery pack is from a Tesla Model 3, the suspension, and brakes are from a Model Y, and the motor is from a Model S. I wasn’t sure how all that would come together, but I can tell you that at speed the components do work together, technically. I do appreciate the flat-bottom Momo steering wheel.

Call me crazy, but 300 some-odd horsepower just isn’t enough to warrant a 100+ grand price tag. For that money you might as well go buy a brand-new Hummer EV with 1,000 horsepower…

I think it’s a genius way to manipulate available parts, and is something that the automotive industry is no stranger to. The BMW 1 Series M Coupé springs to mind. There is something to appreciate about being able to have a platform where you can comfortably interchange parts as they become outdated, and that’s exactly what NAEV did with the Cyber Hummer. I’m told updated motor/battery pack options are coming soon.

Ready For Showtime?

Unfortunately, I think after experiencing the Cyber Hummer from NAEV, I can safely conclude that it competes with neither a Cybertruck, nor a new Hummer EV.

Power Trip

Call me crazy, but 300 some-odd horsepower just isn’t enough to warrant a 100+ grand price tag. For that money you might as well go buy a brand-new Hummer EV with 1,000 horsepower, a groundbreaking suspension system, comfy interior, unreal capability, and most importantly, a warranty. This vehicle was supposed to be sporting the Tesla Plaid system, which, as we know, does produce the 1,000+ horsepower figure, and AWD. Instead, at least for now, we are stuck with the base Model S single motor set-up.

The Details Matter

Piloting the Cyber Hummer felt appropriately Humvee. Old military vehicles are hardly refined things, so in that aspect the Cyber Hummer delivers. I appreciate the grit behind the tactile bits inside and out of the Cyber Hummer. The experience should never be ambiguous, though. The massive Tesla center screen was solely there to display power usage/regen and gear selection. It seemed like a ton of real estate for just two items. Closer to the steering wheel, but mounted under the dashboard were a cluster of unlabeled toggle switches, one of which was the parking brake, AKA the only thing holding the Cyber Hummer from rolling away when exiting. There was no “Park” gear, so I had to fiddle with each one till I found the right one and, eventually, could exit.

But How Does It Drive

The first few minutes are fun in a novelty sense, but after you experience bumps and cracks of normal LA roads, I was less concerned with novelty and more concerned about keeping the darn thing on the road. I, of all drivers, can appreciate a characterful experience, but at some point you need to step back and reflect on whether or not all-out torture is worth the feeling of nostalgia.

Sporty Intent

There are signs of sporty intent with the highly bolstered bucket seats. Humvees by nature are not great vehicles for ingress and egress purposes, something I actually don’t mind as I feel that adds to the honest nature of them, and climbing into a set of proper racing buckets only accentuated that. It feels like you’re properly entering battle. The problem is that when you get moving, it does feel like quite a handful to manage laterally. The steering is heavy, and I like heavy steering, but it gathered weight in odd ways, giving little inspiration to press on more aggressively. To have the look and feel of an old Humvee, but with a smooth and slick driving experience, like you get from a Tesla would be a homerun hit. Unfortunately, the negatives of the Humvee still exist, and aren’t solved by simply converting the vehicle to an EV powertrain.

Perhaps It’s Best Off-Road?

I wasn’t able to properly off-road the Cyber Hummer, but when making a U-turn, there was a patch of dirt I drove over, and it wasn’t the buttery smooth experience I had hoped for. The steering only became more jittery than it already was on-road. Maybe, though, on an empty and smooth fire road, this would be fun in an instant-torque rally car kind of way? I have hope that the folks at NAEV can make the necessary changes to make it happen because I love the idea and direction this project is headed. The Cyber Hummer just needs a little more development, and surely it will have its chance to shine as the potential, here, is massive.