Gone are the days when American automaker General Motors had a subsidiary in Europe, as the old continent-based branch was sold to what is now known as Stellantis. However, recent reports suggest that GM has plans to reconquer the European market, and it might start by importing some of its battery-powered vehicles.
Unnamed sources within the company have told Bloomberg that the first vehicles the automaker is thinking of making available on the old continent are the electric Cadillac Lyric and the huge GMC Hummer EV.
The decision would make sense for the American brand, as the company already said it would only introduce EVs from now on and that it planned to go all-electric by 2030. Additionally, GM’s Cadillac EV would be easy to sell in Europe because it doesn’t have to undergo other emission regulation tests.
The hulky Hummer EV, on the other hand, might present some challenges for European drivers interested in the vehicle, as they might require a commercial driver’s license to be able to drive it.
That’s because the Hummer will be among the heaviest non-commercial vehicles on the market when it becomes available later this year, with a gross weight rating, or GVWR, of 10,550 pounds (4.7 metric tons). The standard European driver’s license covers vehicles with a GVWR of up to 7,716 pounds (3.5 metric tons).
At the moment, GM’s offering in Europe only includes luxury vehicles and a limited number of Corvette sports cars.
If the rumor turns out to be true, this would be a revival of the brand in the region. GM was present on the old continent for 90 years before eventually calling it quits in 2017, when it sold its mass-market European brands, Opel and Vauxhall, to Stellantis, following approximately two decades of losses.
For now, though, the only official stance comes from a company’s spokesperson, who said “no final decisions have been made regarding the future portfolio for our new start-up mobility business in Europe.”
The decision would make sense for the American brand, as the company already said it would only introduce EVs from now on and that it planned to go all-electric by 2030. Additionally, GM’s Cadillac EV would be easy to sell in Europe because it doesn’t have to undergo other emission regulation tests.
The hulky Hummer EV, on the other hand, might present some challenges for European drivers interested in the vehicle, as they might require a commercial driver’s license to be able to drive it.
That’s because the Hummer will be among the heaviest non-commercial vehicles on the market when it becomes available later this year, with a gross weight rating, or GVWR, of 10,550 pounds (4.7 metric tons). The standard European driver’s license covers vehicles with a GVWR of up to 7,716 pounds (3.5 metric tons).
At the moment, GM’s offering in Europe only includes luxury vehicles and a limited number of Corvette sports cars.
If the rumor turns out to be true, this would be a revival of the brand in the region. GM was present on the old continent for 90 years before eventually calling it quits in 2017, when it sold its mass-market European brands, Opel and Vauxhall, to Stellantis, following approximately two decades of losses.
For now, though, the only official stance comes from a company’s spokesperson, who said “no final decisions have been made regarding the future portfolio for our new start-up mobility business in Europe.”