GM Sells Out First Year Of Electric Hummer Production

The Hummer EV is in part a response to Tesla Inc's Cybertruck, which has a completely different but equally attractive design and a bevy of extreme performance features.

General Motors Co said it sold the first year's worth of its GMC Hummer EV electric pickup truck after releasing a video on Tuesday. GMC website showed a "reservations full" banner on the "Edition 1" due to start production in the fall of 2021.  The next version of the truck, the $ 99,995 Hummer EV 3X, is not scheduled to begin production until the fall of 2022.

GM said its lower-cost Hummer EV, starting at $ 79,995, is scheduled to go into production in spring 2024. GM officials said during a presentation Wednesday that the Hummer EV was designed and built-in 18 months. The powerful truck can " crab walk" sideways on rough terrain using four-wheel steering, and has a " Watts to Freedom" mode that accelerates the truck to 60 mph (97 kph) in 3 seconds.

Hummer EV

Five driving modes are offered: Normal, Off-road, Terrain, Tow / Haul, and "My" mode. 

The Hummer EV is partly a response to Tesla Inc's Cybertruck truck, which has a completely different but equally striking design and a host of extreme performance features. Pricing for the Cybertruck starts at $ 39,900, although the 500-mile range model starts at $ 69,900. Tesla began building a plant in Austin, Texas to build the Cybertruck starting in late 2021.

About half of the brand's dealers have agreed to sell the Hummer EV line, GMC General Motors chief Duncan Aldred said. GM receives the orders on its website, and Aldred said the company's intent is to offer uncompromising rates. Online reservations and corporate rates are similar to Tesla's approach.

High-performance electric pickup trucks could be a busy niche in the American market, with eight companies promising to launch models by the end of 2021. Ford Motor Co promises an electric version of its F-series trucks, though Ford has said It works electrically and is aimed at customers who want to use the truck for work. General Motors has Chevrolet versions of its electric truck in the works.

Startups Rivian, Nikola Corp, and Lordstown Motors are among other companies that have electric pickups in development.

Also Read: Oil Prices Slip As U.S. Inventory Build Stokes Fears Of Supply Glut