Manoli Katakis 
MC&T has learned that the official Hummer EV reveal set to take place at the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant on May 20th will no longer be happening as planned. Unsurprisingly, it’s due to disruptions associated with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Further details are not known at this time, but General Motors is seeking a new date to reveal the highly anticipated all-electric truck and SUV duo. At the rate things are going, the event will likely either take place in the fall, and/or will be significantly scaled down from the high budget show it was likely to be. Just the same, GM could virtually reveal the new Hummer EV. But based on GM’s focus on fighting the coronavirus, and how much of a dramatic statement this vehicle aims to make, chances of this happening seem unlikely.
Aside from our own intel, there’s plenty of evidence to back that GM has indeed backed off from the May 20th reveal at D-Ham. Here are a few:
First, with the event as scheduled just over a month out, planners would have invited members of media, as well as various VIPs, dealers, and dignitaries to the reveal. This would have notified people that the event was still on schedule. This has not happened.
Secondly, the Hummer EV on display during GM’s EV week was simply a full-size clay model. Considering GM’s facility closures, leaving (most) salaried employees working from home, it’s unlikely that a more materialized version of the electric pickup truck (ie: something that can be driven onto the stage, and handle the grubby, dirty hands of dealers and media alike) is able to be built in time for the reveal.
Finally, it would simply be irresponsible for General Motors to host a major vehicle reveal event in the middle of a pandemic, in a state that ranks fourth highest in the country for COVID-19 cases, surpassing 2,000 deaths – heavily focused in in the Detroit area. A state where hospitals claim to be running out of body bags and officials are evaluating if they should use ice arenas to store the overflow of the deceased. A state where the Detroit Auto Show had to be canceled to make room for an infirmary. And, despite various models claiming the state will hit its so-called “peak” soon, it still has just as long to settle things down, and to eventually re-open things, slowly. There’s no way that this Hummer EV reveal had a snowball’s chance in hell in taking place with hundreds of people at an assembly plant with all of this going on in Michigan.
The Hummer EV reveal will be a major milestone for GM, as it will kick off a planned family of electric trucks and SUVs across a quartet of brands. Following the Hummer EV (by GMC), electric versions of the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra are expected to follow. From there is the expectation of an electric Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban, and GMC Yukon.
According to GM President Mark Reuss, the Hummer EV will beat the Tesla Cybertruck to market. And, like the Cybertruck, it will launch with three different power options: a base single motor, a dual motor, and a tri-motor setup that would send power to the rear or front wheels. The latter of which is advertised to have a colossal 1,000 horsepower on tap, and an incredible, yet dubious, 11,500 lb-ft of torque. The Hummer EV is expected to be a low-volume product, with a price tag to match. Some have speculated a price of $80,000 and above.
Other details about the Hummer EV are the following: a removable targa top like the Jeep Gladiator, cab lights, independent front and rear suspension, quirky windshield wipers, and unmistakable looks. Culminating the comeback of Hummer is a fresh new logo design. While the large-font capital letters are a familiar style, the new font of choice is far more reflective of the electric vehicle’s futuristic intentions.
