GM Could Bring Hummer Back With Electric SUVs
After GM declared bankruptcy in 2009, it had to shed parts of the company that weren't financially viable. That included Hummer, a brand that symbolized wasteful excess in a time when Americans were tightening their belts. Now, the automaker might be planning to revive Hummer, as something very different.
Reuters (via Automotive News) reports that GM is considering a new line of Hummer-branded electric vehicles. New Hummers would be built at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck plant, which was saved from closure as part of a new GM-UAW contract that's being voted on this week. Automotive News reports that GM is investing $3 billion into the plant to build electric pickups and SUVs.
The Reuters report indicates that GM will begin building an EV pickup at Detroit-Hamtramck in 2021, with a high-performance version arriving the following year and an SUV in 2023. Reuters says GM will introduce an electric GMC pickup and an electric Cadillac SUV in 2023, though an EV model from a different GM brand will come first.
The automaker is working on a new EV platform that can accommodate a number of body styles and front-, rear- and all-wheel drive configurations. CEO Mary Barra first announced GM's intentions to build an electric pickup in April, with company president Mark Reuss confirming in June that the pickup will use the newly-planned "BT1" EV platform. Since then, GM hasn't provided any further details on the truck. The tentative GM-UAW contract doesn't specify what vehicles will be built at Detroit-Hamtramck, only that the plant "will remain open with new product."
Rumors about Hummer's return first surfaced earlier this year. Given the huge success of Jeep in recent years, it's easy to see why GM would want to revive a brand with off-road credibility. That's why Ford is bringing the Bronco back and creating a line of vehicles inspired by the beloved 4x4. GM needs high-end electric trucks, and the Hummer brand is well positioned to go up against Jeep and Ford.
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