From 1,000 hp to the ability to crab walk, the Dongfeng Mengshi M-Terrain has everything that a GMC Hummer EV has, except the price. And, maybe anything that it didn’t copy from GMC’s flagship. Will the Warrior, which is what Mengshi translates to, be coming to the U.S. soon? We hope not. Unless copyright infringement is removed altogether. 

Is the M-Terrain an EV like Hummer?

The M-Terrain comes in two varieties, pickup, and SUV. It utilizes Dongfeng’s EV skateboard platform, with a 140 kWh battery powering a quad-motor all-wheel drive layout. This system also simulates locking axles and center diff. The drivetrain supposedly has 1,073 hp, slightly more than the Hummer’s 1,000 hp. 

Its zero-to-60 mph time is 4.2 seconds. With an overall weight of 6,834 lbs, it should best the almost 1,000 lb Hummer’s 3.3-second number. After all, the M-Terrain’s weight is a ton-and-a-half less. Either the testers read the stopwatch wrong, or there’s something off, which one would expect from a Chinese knockoff. 

Can the M-Terrain crab walk like the Hummer?

Moving onto the M-Terrain, it features an air suspension just like the Hummer, and it can crab walk like one too. It has an identical payload to the Hummer, of 1,323 lbs. Then there’s the automated driver assist.

GM’s ADAS is the Super Cruise SAE L2 system. The M-Terrain’s ADAS, not to be overshadowed by Hummer, is L3 capable. It should be noted that the jump from L2 to L3 capability is a very big jump. 

As an aid for range, if one orders the range extender, you can go 500 miles between charges. That beats the Hummer’s range by almost 200 miles. The M-Terrain’s standard range is 311 miles. 

When will the M-Terrain be available?

Car News China says the Dongfeng M-Terrain will begin production early next year. Having copied so much of the GMC Hummer, we expect a short development time. Basically, back-engineering allowed it to go this far in sort order. So finishing out testing and feasibility is almost not worth bothering with, don’t you think?

But the video clearly shows a 3D-modeled vehicle and not an actual one. So it is questionable if nothing actually exists, then how can it be ready for production in less than a year? But with the worth ethic of the Chinese, it might just happen. 

But is it real?

Dongfeng is one of the top three largest state-owned Chinese automakers, behind SAIC Motor and FAW Group. It sells over three million vehicles a year. The company also has joint ventures with Honda, Nissan, Peugeot, and Citroen. 

Dongfeng also manufactures commercial vehicles, which include military-spec heavy-duty trucks. As such, it has sold military vehicles to places like Myanmar and Darfur, Sudan. That in and of itself puts the company at odds with countries that oppose genocide and ethnic conflicts, as most all do.