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GM Finally Has a GMC Hummer EV Working Prototype, Commences Winter Testing

Depending on which side of the fence you are, you might be looking at GM's decision to revive the Hummer brand as an all-electric pickup either as an insult or as some twisted poetic justice.
2022 GMC Hummer EV prototype testing 4 photos
Photo: GMC
2022 GMC Hummer EV prototype testing2022 GMC Hummer EV prototype testing2022 GMC Hummer EV prototype testing
That's because up until now, the Hummer name has been synonymous with the term "gas-guzzler," even though the latter models weren't necessarily the biggest offenders on the market. So, for the truck loosely based on a military vehicle to go from being powered by loud V8s to moving silently with the help of electric motors, that has to be one of the most radical transformations ever in the automotive world.

The only similarly shocking metamorphosis we can think of is Tesla releasing a V8-powered model, and while we'd be tempted to dismiss that as impossible, we would have said the same about the Hummer EV situation a few years ago. That said, we'll refrain from any comment. Seriously though, that is 100 percent impossible.

But GM took its chances, and, judging by the reception the GMC Hummer EV had, you could say its gamble paid off. We're still a long time away from finding out whether this virtual success will turn into a commercial one as well, and that's because the sales of the electric pickup are only scheduled to begin in early 2022.

In fact, shortly after the big unveiling, it transpired that GMC didn't even have a working prototype of the truck, which makes today's news from GM all the more important. According to the automaker, the assembly of its first electric pickup is now complete, and the prototype has arrived at the company's Milford Proving Grounds, where it will sustain further validation tests.

From there, the battery-powered truck will head into Upper Michigan where it will undergo some cold-weather testing - or, as GM puts it, it will "run through the team's grueling winter testing process." The company says it will provide regular updates regarding the process, though we wouldn't keep our fingers crossed for anything outside the "everything's going well" or "it has exceeded our expectations" area.

The one-paragraph long press release that accompanies the announcement also emphasizes the company's new development process pioneered on the GMC Hummer EV. Apparently, it relies heavily on lots of virtual testing, reducing the costs for this phase and accelerating the vehicle's timetable. It's also presumably why there was no running prototype of the truck until now: the only product they needed this far was a virtual one.


 
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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