It’s really starting to look like an electric Hummer is going to be a thing.
GM is going all-in on electric vehicles, according to new reports. As part of a proposed settlement agreement with striking UAW workers, GM wants to invest $7.7 billion in making a new line of electric pickups and SUVs, with its Detroit-Hamtramck facility earmarked for a full $3 billion of that amount. This would allow the Detroit-area plant to continue operation after being completely remade into an electric vehicle manufacturing facility.
Last June, we heard from sources speaking to Bloomberg that GM was thinking about reviving the Hummer nameplate as part of their plans to make electric utility vehicles. Back then it was described as a “what if” exercise internally, with GM President Mark Reuss saying “we’re looking at everything” when it came to electrification.
Now, sources speaking to Reuters say that the Hummer idea is getting legs and might begin production as early as 2021.
GM wants to get the ball rolling on their electric aspirations starting with a new line of electric SUVs and pickups. The program is called "BT1" and will take the Tesla approach of aiming at the luxury market first. GM failed to gain any traction by starting with volume models such as the Chevy Bolt and Volt, so instead, they're going to target the high-end customers with luxury offerings that are 100% emissions-free.
BT1 will provide an electric pickup for GMC and an electric SUV for Cadillac by 2023, but first a "different brand" (which is almost certainly going to be Chevrolet) will get an electric pickup in 2021. Then a performance version of that pickup will arrive in 2022. Those pickups are using the codename "Project O," with the Hummer name being kicked around internally for these pickups.
Ford, Rivian, and Tesla are expected to have their own offerings by the time GM gets their electric trucks and SUVs to market, so they can expect some stiff competition. Priced at around $90,000-100,000, GM will try to differentiate themselves based on expense.
(Source: Reuters)