Bummer: GMC Hummer Reveal Delayed
We don’t know what sort of person will purchase the GMC Hummer EV; presumably, the sort of person that’s also salivating over Tesla’s Cybertruck. Rugged electrics are a novel segment and we’re not sure what its demographic looks like.
Will it be technophiles hoping to secure their masculinity, or hard-living folks who’ve finally find a battery-driven vehicle that speaks to them? More importantly, how will these electric monsters stack up against established bruisers carrying tried-and-true internal combustion engines?
We haven’t the foggiest, and it looks like we’ll be waiting longer than planned to get some answers. General Motors announced it’s delaying the reveal of the new-and-improved Hummer on Wednesday. While no official reason was given, it’s almost certainly the result of lockdown measures relating to the coronavirus.
Originally planned for May 20th, GM has only said that the reveal date would have to be rescheduled. The automaker does not believe the move will impact the vehicle’s market launch — which is still planned for late 2021.
The Hummer EV is also supposed to arrive as both an SUV and a pickup, with the automaker leading with the latter bodystyle. General Motors finds itself falling behind in an electric SUV race that’s largely dominated by premium nameplates, but it could still drop an electric pickup onto the market before it becomes similarly saturated.
The resurrected Hummer is rumored to be the same size as the Silverado/Sierra and is expected to come equipped with various motor configurations tied to an array of towing packages. Details are scant beyond that. While GM did provide a video clip of the model silently cruising through a forest (shot from high overhead) to prepare us for the extended wait, the video quality makes us wonder if it’s not digitally enhanced. The vehicle also appears to be lacking a roof (or equipped with a transparent one), perhaps denoting one of its future options.
[Images: General Motors]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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No surprise. If anything any new model will either be delayed or will be canceled.
The clever headline uses the word "bummer", but does anyone actually care?