Want a 2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1? Get in line.
The all-electric pickup sold out in 10 minutes despite a price tag that tops $100,000, said Duncan Aldred, GMC vice president.
Aldred declined to reveal how many Edition 1's have been ordered, but said, "it is a highly sought-after vehicle. The customers want the vehicle just as soon as possible."
The Hummer EV is now at GM's proving grounds in Milford, Mich., undergoing testing and further evaluation, and soon GM engineers will take the prototypes to northern Michigan to perform winter endurance testing, Aldred said.
GMC revealed the pickup in October, and Aldred said it was the most-watched reveal ever with 370 million views. It beat the reveals of the Tesla Cybertruck, Ford Bronco SUV, F-150 pickup and Mach E.
"It was pretty exceptional in what we delivered in terms of impressions and views and what we brought to our website," Aldred said.
GM developed the GMC Hummer electric pickup at a lightning pace, headed by engineers who created the 2020 Corvette.
'Crab walk' capability
Edition 1, which is due out in late 2021, has a starting price of $112,595. The pickup reportedly can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 3 seconds and it has new technology, such as the "crab walk," which allows the wheels to turn diagonally to get you out of tight spots, as well as hands-free driving and the fastest charging system on the market.
After Edition 1, GM will launch a 3X model priced at $99,995. The 2X model at $89,995 goes on sale in spring 2023, and the $79,995 EV2 arrives in spring 2024.
GMC dealers will be asked to sign an optional "participation agreement" to sell the Hummer EV, Aldred said.
That means GMC will not offer buyouts to those dealers who decline to sell the vehicle because they don't want to invest in the necessary charging equipment. That's different from what Cadillac is doing by offering buyouts to dealers who do not want to invest about $200,000 to transition their operations to sell electric vehicles.
The cost for GMC dealers to sell the Hummer EV will depend on the kind of electric source already in place at a dealership. It requires what's known as Phase 3 power — meaning three alternating currents — to facilitate the fast charge, and that's probably the biggest expense, Aldred said.
"So for some it could be very inexpensive, if you've already got the power source to facilitate the kind of charging points we need," he said. If you don't, it could cost "quite significantly more. What we're saying to dealers, before they sign up, is to get an assessment of what would need to be done in their dealership."
He added: "But we will not be going down a similar strategy as Cadillac."
GM also will offer a GMC Hummer electric SUV in a couple of years. The automaker slyly revealed the 2023 GMC Hummer SUV during Barclays Global Automotive Conference in November.
The presentation, done virtually, never mentioned the vehicle, but CEO Mary Barra and Doug Parks, executive vice president of global product development, purchasing and supply chain, sat next to the yet-to-be-revealed truck during the presentation.
Hummer enthusiasts noticed it and posted a screen grab on HummerChat.com.