The GMC Hummer EV joins the gas guzzlers on the list of worst for the environment

The GMC Hummer EV joins the gas guzzlers on the list of worst for the environment


The American Council on Energy Efficiency’s (ACEEE) 2024 list of environmentally “low performance” vehicles includes the expected lineup of gas-guzzling trucks—but also one EV.

The 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV was ninth place on the list, between the GMC Sierra truck and the Mercedes-Benz G550 SUV. The annual list is based on estimates of the health and environmental impacts associated with the vehicle’s “pipeline” emissions, as well as the production and distribution of the fuel or electricity used to drive it, as well as emissions related to manufacturing and disposal.

2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV

The Hummer EV has lower estimated “fuel” costs than the other vehicles on the list. The estimated annual cost, based on 15,000 miles of driving, is $1,746, compared to $4,242 for the Mercedes-AMG G63, ranked as the “weakest” car of the 2024 model year for the environment overall.

As usual, ACEEE also published a list of the most “green” cars for the environment, which this year was led by the Toyota Prius Prime SE. The plug-in hybrid’s estimated annual fuel cost of $529 puts the Hummer EV’s inefficiency into perspective. Two EVs—the Lexus RZ 300e and the Mini Cooper SE—were ranked second and third, respectively.

2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV

2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV

Previous versions of the “greenest” and “mean” lists have also shown that light EVs are the greenest. Lighter vehicles that carry more people have been a long-standing formula for making cars better for the environment. And the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has warned that excessive EV weight is a safety issue.

Worse, the Hummer EV could enable General Motors to build more gas trucks. The Hummer’s electric curb weight of nearly 9,000 pounds takes it out of EPA emissions standards for passenger cars, but fleet rules could give GM flexibility to use Hummer sales to counter those of gasoline and diesel trucks. So it’s heavy tread and more tread.